As for al-Tahāwī’s objection that Mecca in the Prophet’s time—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—was more built up than Minā was in ʿUthmān’s time, the response on ʿUthmān’s behalf is as follows:

During the compensatory ʿumrah (lesser pilgrimage), then during the campaign to conquer Mecca, and then during the ʿumrah from al-Jiʿrānah, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—feared the enemy. ʿUthmān permitted someone in fear to shorten his prayers even when staying somewhere where provisions and water were available, for he permitted shortening both for travellers and for those facing an enemy. During the Farewell Pilgrimage, however, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—was safe, but he was not staying in Mecca. Rather, he and his Companions were staying at al-Abtah, outside Mecca. They were therefore not staying in a place of settled residence or somewhere where provisions and water were available.

Usāmah asked, “Where shall we stay tomorrow? Will you stay at your house in Mecca?” He replied, “Has ʿAqīl left us any house? We shall stay at Khayf Banī Kinānah, where they swore a mutual oath to uphold disbelief.” This campsite is at al-Abtah, between the cemeteries and Minā.

Likewise, ʿĀʾishah—may Allah be pleased with her—explained that she performed the prayers in full because shortening was prescribed on account of hardship, whereas performing them in full caused her no hardship.

The earlier and later generations of scholars differed over the kind of journey that permits shortening prayers and its length. The position of ʿUthmān and ʿĀʾishah was one of their views on the matter.

There are other views concerning the kind of journey that permits shortening prayers. Moreover, ʿUthmān was opposed in this by ʿAlī, Ibn Masʿūd, ʿImrān ibn Husayn, Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqās, Ibn ʿUmar, Ibn ʿAbbās, and other learned Companions. Thus, it was narrated by Sufyān