his visits to the mosque of Qubā, although he went there both riding and on foot. Nor did the Muslims coming in from al-ʿAwālī do so. This is because the distance was short, like a distance travelled within a town. The name “Medina” encompasses all its settlements, and the people there were either inhabitants of Medina or Bedouins, as the Quran indicates. Whoever was not a Bedouin was therefore an inhabitant of Medina. Accordingly, travelling to Qubā was like travelling within Medina itself. If that were permitted, praying on one’s mount within the town would also be permitted; otherwise, there is no distinction between the two.

When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, led his Companions in combined and shortened prayers, he did not instruct any of them to intend to combine or shorten them. Rather, he travelled from Medina to Mecca, offering two-unit prayers without combining them. Then he led them in the noon prayer at ʿArafah without telling them that he intended to offer the afternoon prayer immediately afterwards. He then led them in the afternoon prayer, although they had not intended to combine the prayers. This was combining prayers at the time of the earlier prayer.

Likewise, when he departed from Medina, he led them in the afternoon prayer at Dhū al-Hulayfah, offering two units, without instructing them to intend to shorten the prayer. It is reported in al-Sahīh:

“When he offered one of the two afternoon prayers and ended it with the salutation after two units, Dhū al-Yadayn asked him, ‘Has the prayer been shortened, or have you forgotten?’ He replied, ‘I have not forgotten, nor has it been shortened.’ He said, ‘Indeed, you have forgotten.’ The Prophet asked, ‘Is it as Dhū al-Yadayn says?’ They replied, ‘Yes.’ He then completed the prayer.”

If shortening prayers were permissible only when they intended it, he would have explained this, and they would have known it. To my knowledge, it has not been reported that Imam Ahmad stipulated an intention for either combining prayers or