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3. Prayer (Ṣalāh)

If the following eight conditions are fulfilled, a traveller must perform ẓuhr, ʿaṣr, and ʿishāʾ prayers in their shortened (qaṣr) form; i.e. he must perform them as two rakʿah prayers.
First condition: the journey must not be less than eight farsakhs (approximately forty-four kilometres) [which is equal to approximately twenty-seven and a half miles]. [See Ruling 1258 to Ruling 1266]
Second condition: one must have the intention of travelling eight farsakhs from the commencement of his journey; i.e. he must know that he will travel eight farsakhs. Therefore, if he travels to a place that is less than eight farsakhs, and after reaching that place he makes the intention of going to a place that together with the distance he has already travelled totals eight farsakhs, then as he did not have the intention of travelling eight farsakhs from the commencement of his journey, he must perform tamām prayers. However, if he wants to travel eight farsakhs from that place, or, for example, he wants to travel a distance that together with the return journey totals eight farsakhs, he must perform qaṣr prayers. [See Ruling 1267 to Ruling 1272]
Third condition: one must not change his intention on the way [i.e. he must not decide against travelling]. If before travelling four farsakhs one changes his mind [about travelling] or becomes unsure [about travelling], and the distance he has already travelled together with the return journey totals less than eight farsakhs, he must perform tamām prayers. [See Ruling 1273 to Ruling 1278].
Fourth condition: before travelling eight farsakhs, one must not intend to pass through his home town and stay there, or to stay in a place for ten or more days. Therefore, if before travelling eight farsakhs someone intends to pass through his home town and stay there, or to stay in a place for ten or more days, he must perform tamām prayers. If he intends to pass through his home town without staying there, he must as a precautionary measure, perform both qaṣr and tamām prayers. [See Ruling 1279 and Ruling 1280].
Fifth condition: one must not travel for an unlawful purpose. If a person travels for an unlawful purpose, such as theft, he must perform tamām prayers. The same applies if the journey itself is unlawful; for example, it is harmful for him in that it can result in death or the loss of a limb, or a wife travels without the consent of her husband on a journey that is not obligatory. However, if it is like a journey for obligatory hajj, she must perform qaṣr prayers. [See Ruling 1281 to Ruling 1290].
Sixth condition: one must not be a nomad, such as the desert dwellers who roam the deserts and stay wherever they find water and food for themselves and their animals, and after a while move to another place. Such people must perform tamām prayers on these journeys. [See Ruling 1291 and Ruling 1292].
Seventh condition: one must not be a frequent traveller (kathīr al-safar). [The frequent traveller is of two kinds:] 1) someone whose profession is travelling – such as a driver and the captain of a ship, or a delivery person or shepherd – and 2) someone who frequently travels even though his work does not require him to do so – such as someone who travels three days in a week even if it is for recreational and touristic purposes – such a person must perform tamām prayers. [See Ruling 1293 to Ruling 1303].
Eighth condition: one must reach the permitted limit (ḥadd al‐tarakhkhuṣ) if he starts his journey from his home town. However, if he travels from a place that is not his home town, then the permitted limit does not apply to him and he must perform his prayers in qaṣr form from the moment he sets out on his journey from his place of residence. [See Ruling 1304 to Ruling 1340].

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  • Ruling 1258

    If a person’s outward and return journey totals eight farsakhs – irrespective of whether or not the outward or the return journey on its own is less than four farsakhs – he must perform qaṣr prayers. Therefore, if his …

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  • Ruling 1259

    If a person’s outward and return journey totals eight farsakhs, then even if he does not return on the same day or night, he must perform qaṣr prayers; however, it is better that in this case, as a recommended …

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  • Ruling 1260

    If a person’s journey is a little short of eight farsakhs, or if he does not know whether or not his journey is eight farsakhs, he must not perform qaṣr prayers. In the event that he doubts whether or …

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  • Ruling 1261

    If a dutiful or reliable person informs a person that his journey is eight farsakhs, and if he attains confidence in what he says, he must perform qaṣr prayers.

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  • Ruling 1262

    If someone who is certain that his journey is eight farsakhs performs qaṣr prayers and later realises that it was not eight farsakhs, he must perform them as four rakʿah prayers; and if the time has expired, he must make …

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  • Ruling 1263

    With regard to someone who is certain that the journey he wants to go on is not eight farsakhs, or he doubts whether or not it is eight farsakhs, in the event that he realises on the way …

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  • Ruling 1264

    If a person comes and goes a number of times between two places which are less than four farsakhs apart, he must perform tamām prayers even if the total distance travelled by him is eight farsakhs.

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  • Ruling 1265

    If there are two roads to a place – one of them less than eight farsakhs and the other eight or more farsakhs – then, in the event that one goes to that place by the road that …

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  • Ruling 1266*

    The start of the eight farsakhs on one’s journey must be calculated from the point beyond which a person is deemed to be a traveller; this is usually the outskirts of a town. However, in some very big …

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  • Ruling 1267

    With regard to someone who does not know how many farsakhs his journey is – for example, he travels to find a lost person and does not know how far he must go before he finds him – …

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