So how could he conceivably have believed that he had become permanently settled in Mecca? Unless it is argued that he regarded marriage as establishing residence rather than permanent settlement. The reply would be: it is well known that someone staying in Mecca for three days shortens his prayers, as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, did; and he could not stay there any longer than that. Yet marriage itself might be an impediment to shortening the prayer. This, too, is unlikely, for the people of Mecca used to shorten their prayers behind the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and his successors at Minā. Moreover, the Umayyad rulers after ʿUthmān offered the prayers in full, following his example. Had his justification been peculiar to him, they would not have done so.

It has also been said that he feared the Bedouins would think that the prayer consisted of four rakʿahs. This explanation, too, is weak: the Bedouins were less knowledgeable in the Prophet’s time, peace and blessings be upon him, than in ʿUthmān’s time, yet he did not offer the prayer in full. Furthermore, they could see Muslims praying four rakʿahs when not travelling.

Besides, their supposing that the Sunnah for a traveller’s prayer is four rakʿahs would be an error on their part. It is therefore not permissible to depart from the Sunnah only to bring about something equally mistaken through that departure. ʿUrwah said that ʿĀʾishah had adopted an interpretation just as ʿUthmān had, and ʿĀʾishah stated that offering the prayer in full caused her no hardship.