without his praying two rakʿahs until he returned. I was present with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, at Hunayn and al-Tā’if, and he prayed two rakʿahs. Then I performed Hajj and ʿumrah with him, and he prayed two rakʿahs. He then said: “People of Mecca, complete your prayers, for we are travellers.” Then I performed Hajj and ʿumrah with Abū Bakr, and he prayed two rakʿahs at a time. He then said: “People of Mecca, complete your prayers, for we are travellers.” Then I performed Hajj and ʿumrah with ʿUmar, and he prayed two rakʿahs and said: “Complete your prayers, for we are travellers.” Then I performed Hajj and ʿumrah with ʿUthmān, and he prayed two rakʿahs at a time. Later, however, ʿUthmān offered the prayer in full.’”

The statement in this hadith that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, never prayed anything but two rakʿahs while travelling agrees with all the other narrations. All the Companions reported only that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, prayed two rakʿahs while travelling.

As for the statement attributed to him:

“People of Mecca, complete your prayers, for we are travellers,”

he said this in Mecca in the year of the Conquest, not during his Hajj. This is simply an error that occurred in this narration. Ibrāhīm ibn Humayd also narrated this hadith from Hammād through his chain of transmission, and al-Bayhaqī related it through him. Its wording is:

“The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, never went on a journey without praying two rakʿahs until he returned. He would say: ‘People of Mecca, stand up and pray two rakʿahs, for we are travellers.’ He went on campaign to al-Tā’if and Hunayn and prayed two rakʿahs. He came to al-Jiʿrānah and performed ʿumrah from there. I performed Hajj with Abū Bakr