within its appointed time; this is not a genuine combining but only an apparent one. For example, he may delay Maghrib until the very end of its time and bring ʿIshāʾ forward to the very beginning of its time, then pray them consecutively. Likewise, he may delay Ẓuhr until the end of its time and offer ʿAṣr at the start of its time. This is called apparent combining; it is not a real combining. This is a sound interpretation, and al-Shawkānī—and others—supported the view that the ḥadīth intends this kind of apparent combining.

Some scholars, however, have understood the ḥadīth, with its wording “without fear and without travel” or “without fear and without rain,” to mean that the Prophet ﷺ combined because of illness, for the excuses that permit combining are four: fear, rain, travel, and illness. Thus, when fear and travel—or fear and rain—are negated, what remains is illness, indicating that the Prophet ﷺ combined on account of sickness. Accordingly, it is permissible for a sick person to combine his prayers when refraining from combining would cause him hardship.

Question: In some of our local mosques they combine the prayers—Ẓuhr with ʿAṣr and Maghrib with ʿIshāʾ—without any Sharʿī excuse that allows combining. Should I pray with them, pray alone in the mosque, or pray at home? Kindly advise me, and may Allah reward you with goodness.