The first is the view of most scholars, including Abū Hanīfah and Mālik. It is also one of the two views within Ahmad’s school, adopted by Abū Bakr and others.

The second is the view of al-Shāfi‘ī and the other view within Ahmad’s school, adopted by al-Khiraqī and others. The first is the correct view, supported by the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He would lead his Companions in shortened prayers without informing them beforehand that he would shorten the prayer or instructing them to intend to shorten it. Thus:

“When he inadvertently ended the prayer with the salutation after two units, Dhū al-Yadayn asked him, ‘Has the prayer been shortened, or did you forget?’ He replied, ‘I did not forget, nor has it been shortened.’ He said, ‘But you did forget.’”

Another narration states:

“Had anything changed, I would have told you.”

He did not say, “Had it been shortened, I would have instructed you to intend to shorten it.” Similarly, when he led them in combining prayers, he did not inform them before beginning that he would combine them. Indeed, they did not know that he would combine the prayers until he had completed the first. This also establishes that combining prayers does not require forming that intention when beginning the first prayer, as the majority hold. Ahmad’s explicitly stated position agrees with this.

The scholars have disagreed about praying four units while travelling: is it forbidden, disliked, contrary to what is preferable, or itself preferable?

The position of Abū Hanīfah, and one view within Mālik’s school, is that shortening the prayer is obligatory and that the traveller may not pray four units.