his Sahih (951), al-Bayhaqi (3/153), Ibn Hibban (4/185/2744), Ahmad (1/290 and 337), Abu Awanah, and al-Tahawi (1/245). Al-Bayhaqi’s wording is: “How many rak'ahs should I pray if I miss the prayer in al-Masjid al-Haram? …” The rest is the same.

Third: Sa'id ibn Abi Arubah, from him, with a similar report. It was recorded by Muslim (3/144), al-Nasa'i, and Ahmad (1/369).

Fourth: Hisham al-Dastuwa'i. Al-Tayalisi said in his Musnad (2742): “Hisham related it to us from him.” Its wording is: “I said to Ibn Abbas, ‘If I do not catch the prayer in al-Masjid al-Haram, how many rak'ahs should I pray at al-Batha?’ He said, ‘Two rak'ahs,’” and so forth. Ahmad (1/226) also recorded it: “Yahya related to us from Hisham, with it.”

Fifth: Hammam: “Qatadah informed us of it,” with wording like that of Hisham. Ahmad (1/290) recorded it. In Shu'bah’s version, Qatadah explicitly stated that he heard it directly.

I say: The hadith provides explicit evidence that the sunnah for a traveller who follows a resident imam is to complete the prayer rather than shorten it. This is the position of the four imams and others. Indeed, Imam al-Shafi'i, in al-Umm (1/159), related that there was a consensus among the general body of scholars on this matter. Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar cited this from him in al-Fath (2/465) and endorsed it. This was also the practice of the early generations. Malik narrated in al-Muwatta' (1/164), from Nafi', that Ibn Umar would stay in Mecca for ten nights, shortening the prayer, except when he prayed it with the imam, in which case he prayed as the imam prayed.