SOLAT JAMAK AND QASR
Solat Jamak is separate from Solat Qasr. Both do not necessarily come in one package.
Solat QASR
Solat Qasr = Shortening of 4 Rakaat Prayers to 2 Raka’at for Zuhr, Asr & Ishak (Fajr and Maghrib not included).
Dalil (evidence) à [Quran 4:101]
“When you travel through the land, it is permissible for you to shorten the prayer ..”
It is narrated in the Two Sahihs that Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her ) said :
“When the Solat was enjoined (by Allah), it was only two raka’at (in all solat), both when in residence or on a journey . Then the Solat performed on journey remained the same (2 rakaat), but the Solat for non-travellers were increased (up to 4 rakaat).”
Hence it is a ruling that when you are travelling, your solat for Zuhr, Asar and Ishak is only 2 raka’at each and this is called Solat Qasr (shortened).
Solat Qasr is only valid when you are labelled as a "Musafir", meaning when you are in “travelling mode”.
You still solat 5 times a day unless in situations when Jamak is permitted.
The criteria to be labelled as a Musafir.
(1) The Musafir distance :
* You intended and made plans to travel to a destination of 81 km or more (according to Mazhab Syafie)
away from your hometown (not your country). Eg. You live in Clementi Town, and your intended
destination is 81 Km away from the border of your hometown. You will be a Musafir when you crossed the
border of your hometown (not your country) in your journey to the intended destination. Even if your house
is just next to the border of your hometown, once you crossed it, you are a Musafir on your distant journey.
Qasr is valid.
* You live in a very big City. This is your hometown. The width is 100 km wide. Your house is at one edge of the
city and you travelling out of the City at the opposite border. Even though you have travelled 81 km, you are
still not a Musafir yet as long as you have not crossed the border of your hometown (this very big city).
* Therefore, your Musafir period only starts after you have crossed the Hometown’s border no matter how far
the border is from your house (even if it is 81 km or more).
* Your intended to drive to a destination is 70 km away from your hometown. It is outside of your country
since your country is very small. If you based on the Mazhab Syafie distance of 81 Km, this is not a Musafir.
However before reaching your final destination, you intended to drive to two other places away from your
intended hotel of stay. Meaning you are making two temporary stops straying away from your final
destination. If you measure the total distance that you have driven, it is more than 81 Km. In this case you
are a Musafir.
Differences in opnions regarding the Musafir distance.
# There are many other opinions from Scholars regarding the distance of your destination from your hometown, eg:-
- 81 km and above (Mazhab Shafie).
What if your destination is 80.99 km away? Short of 10 metres? How do you exactly measure distances?
- 120 km and above (Mazhab Hanafi)
- Other scholars said only 18 km. The Prophet s.a.w performed Qasr in his Prayer at Mina with the
people from Makkah which is only 18 km away from Makkah.
- While other scholars said that as long as you are travelling away from your
hometown to a destination that you have no intention to make a home at that place. Hence there is no
need to physically measure the distance in order to be valid for Solat Qasr.
(2) The Musafir Period
* Qasr prayer is valid from the start of your Musafir Period (travel) and ended when the Musafir Period
expired.
# The Start and End of the Musafir Period:
START: Your journey crossing the borders out of your Hometown (not country) marks the start of your
Musafir. If you live in Clementi Town, once you crossed the border out of your Town, Qasr is valid.
THE DURATION OF STAY of a Musafir: (1) According to Mazhab Shafie based on this hadith:
[Sahih Muslim 1352] Al-" Ala' b. al-Hadrami reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: The stay at Mecca
after the completion of his rituals (of Hajj) is only for three days.
Eg. You are on a journey and arrive at your destination on Monday and will be heading home on Friday.
Total 5 days = 1 day arrival, 3 days stay, 1 day exit. You are still a Musafir while staying in that place
and solat Qasr for the 5 daily prayers. However if you had planned to stay there 4 days (total 6
days), your Musafir ended once you reached there. You cannot Solat Qasr while staying there. In
this case, your Musafir will start again when you left the place and crossing out from the border of
that place on your journey returning home or to another distant location.
THE DURATION OF STAY of a Musafir: (2) According to other scholars: Evidences from Hadith:
Sahih Bukhari: Narrated Ibn `Abbas: The Prophet (ﷺ) once stayed for nineteen days and Solat Qasr.
So when we travel led (and stayed) for nineteen days, we used to shorten the prayer but if we travelled
(and stayed) for a longer period we used to offer the full prayer.
Sahih Bukhari: Narrated Yahya bin 'Is-haq: I heard Anas saying, "We travelled with the Prophet (ﷺ) from
Medina to Mecca and offered two raka’at (for every prayer) till we returned to Medina." I said, "Did you
stay for a while in Mecca?" He replied, "We stayed in Mecca for ten days."
There are many other Sahih reports of the companions staying longer that 19 days at a location while
Solat Qasr.
Therefore other than Mazhab Shafie, the other scholars do not limit the length of stay to 3 Days, but
more than that. As long as the locals do not see you as one of them and you know that you will be going
HOME to your hometown after your stay, then it does not matter how many days you are staying at that
place since it is not your hometown.
END: In your return Journey, your Musafir period ends when you enter into the border of your Hometown.
Eg. Once your crossed into the border of Clementi Town, there is no more Qasr for you.
NOTE: All the above is a about Solat Qasr without Solat Jamak. Meaning you solat 5 times a day.
Next (below), we will talk about when it is permissible to do Jamak with Qasr together.
Solat JAMAK
Solat JAMAK is combining two Prayer times together i.e. Zuhr with Asar (vice versa) and Maghrib with Isya (vice versa). Fajr not included.
(1) Jamak Takdim =
à You Solat Asar during Zuhr time. Solat Zuhr first than Solat Asar right after that.
à You Solat Ishak during Maghrib time. Solat Maghrib first than Solat Ishak right after that.
(2) Jamak Takhir =
à You Solat Zuhr during Asar time. The stronger opinion is Solat Zuhr first than Solat Asar.
à You Solat Maghrib during Ishak time. The stronger opinion is Solat Maghrib first than Solat Ishak.
Most layman Muslims associated both Jamak and Qasr together as a bundle used only for travelling. However Jamak has its own ruling separate from Qasr.
We must separate the concept of Jamak (combined) from the concept of Qasr (shortened).
# Qasr is only when in Musafir (travelling) but Jamak is due to difficulties in keeping up with the prescribed prayer times whether you are traveling or not.
Hence we will talk about (1) Jamak while Musafir and (2) Jamak while Tammam (in your country and not travelling out)
The number of Rakaats: The usual Rakaats (4 rakaat for Zuhr, Asr, Ishak) if you are not a Musafir. If you are a Musafir, than Solat Qasr. However Jamak is not automatically for the whole duration when you are a Musafir. Jamak is based on situations that are difficult.
(1) JAMAK with the reason of distant travelling (Musafir).
Dalil (evidence) - [Sahih Muslim 704C) “Anas reported that when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had to set out on a journey hurriedly, he delayed (jamak takhir) the noon prayer to the earlier time for the afternoon prayer, and then he would combine them, and he would delay (jamak takhir) the sunset prayer to the time when the twilight would disappear and then combine it with the 'Isha' prayer.”
Criteria:
1 - Jamak is valid when you are still journeying and have not reached your destination. This is due to the difficulties of stopping and going each time for Solat. So you have less stops with Jamak.
Eg1. You are driving on a very long journey. In the olden days, people ride Camels.
Starting in the morning and ending before Maghrib. At Zuhr time, put a niyat that you will Jamak Zuhur
to Asar. When you reached your destination, you solat Zuhr and Asr Jamak takhir with Qasr (2 rakaát)
for both solat since you are a Musafir.
Eg2. If your driving in a journey will last up to Ishak to reach your destination, then you have to stop during
Asar time so that you can solat Zuhr and Asar (Jamak takhir with Qasr). Then continue on your journey.
When it is Mahgrib time, put a niyat to Jamak Maghrib to Ishak. When you reached your destination,
Solat Maghrib and Ishak (Jamak Takhir with Qasr for Ishak).
Eg3. You are on a Plane before Maghrib. The plane will only land at the airport before Fajr (Ishak period).
You should not solat Mahgrib sitting in your seat. Even if there is a Musollah in the plane, it is still better
to Jamak your Maghrib to Ishak. Once landed, you can then Solat standing and properly facing the
Qiblah at the airport. (Ishak with Qasr).
This is because Standing and facing the Qiblah is a Pillar in Solah. Even if you are allowed to Solat
standing in the plane, the Qiblah might change if the Plane turns slightly. Plane may experience air
pockets or turbulence, and the space that you are praying may be cramped with the staff working at
the pantry. When there exist some difficulties, that’s where the priority of Jamak as it is a Rukhsah
(lightening) as a gift from Allah.
Eg4. You boarded the plane at Maghrib time and it will land after Fajr (Subuh). In this case, you have no
choice but to Solat on the Plane. Jamak Maghrib to Ishak (Qasr) or vice versa. The priority is to stand
in Solat. If you are not allowed to stand, then Solat in your seat. Solat Fajr will be on Plane too.
Eg5. You have to board the Plane at 8.45 PM. Ishak is 8.30 PM. You will have difficulties to Solat Ishak in a
rush before boarding. Therefore do a Jamak-Takdim of Ishak during Maghrib time.
If you Solat Jamak Ishak at home (right after your Solat Maghrib), then your Ishak is Tammam 4
Rakaat since you are not a Musafir yet.
If you Solat Jamak Ishak at the Airport and it is outside of your hometown, then your Ishak will be Qasr
since you are already a Musafir. As long as you Solat outside of your hometown on your way to the
airport, eg. A Masjid, then Qasr is valid.
Eg6. Once you have reached your destination (eg. Hotel) and have settled down, your solat for the rest of
the Solat times is by Qasr without Jamak. You only do Jamak if you face difficulties during your
stay there. Jamak is not connected with the length of your stay at the place. Only Qasr is connected
to the length of stay (based on Mazhab Syafie).
Eg7. During your stay at the destination, you have planned to visit several places. If there are difficulties
in keeping up of the Prayer times such as Traffic Jams, rushing to make it on time of certain meetings,
concerning closing hours of certain attractions, you are not feeling well or any other difficulties, only
then you are allowed to do Jamak of solat. You must be honest and sincere in gauging whether this is a
valid difficulty.
Eg8. The returning home journey: The plane landed in your own country but you have not reached your
hometown yet. There is a bit of Maghrib left while you board a Taxi back to your hometown. Maghrib
will be over if your reach your hometown. You can Jamak Maghrib to ishak since you are still in the
hassle of a journey (musafir). So solat Jamak Maghrib at your Home. If it is Zuhr prayer, then Solat
Jamak Zuhr Tamman (4 rakaat). Tammam because your Musafir has ended but the Jamak is still
valid.
(2) JAMAK without Musafir.
You are not travelling outside your country. However once a while on certain circumstances you ran into issues that are difficult to keep up with the Solat times.
Since you are not a Musafir, you can only do Jamak Tamam (4 rakaát) with no Qasr.
Dalil (evidence) [Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 705] Ibn Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, prayed noon prayers and afternoon prayers in combination for reasons other than danger or travel. Sai’d ibn Jubayr said, “Why did he do that?” Ibn Abbas said, “The Prophet intended to not cause hardship for anyone in his nation.”
Eg1. You have an exam to take. The exam starts before Maghrib and will ends into Ishak time. Do a niyat of Jamak Takhir during Maghrib time. Once the exam is over, do your Solat Jamak Maghrib in Isyak time. Solat Ishak as per normal.
Eg2. A surgeon starts his surgery early in the morning and it lasted until just before Maghrib. He can do his Solat Zuhur (Jamak Takhir) during Asar time before Maghrib. Pray Asar as per normal.
Eg3. You are stuck in a traffic Jam before Maghrib and lasted until after midnight. It is not convenient to stop your car and solat at the roadside without causing more Jams. Solat Maghrib (Jamak takhir) at Ishak time after you have gone out of the Jam. Pray Ishak as per normal.
Eg4. A traffic policeman ushering traffic during an accident that caused massive jam. He may do the Jamak of his Solat if the jam lasted many hours after the current Solat period is over.
Eg5. You are sick in hospital or at home (sever back pain, diarrhoea, high fever,etc). You may do Jamak of your Solah if it is difficult to Solah on each prayer time.
FRIDAY PRAYER
If you are in your Musafir Period during your journey, you may just continue driving and Jamak Zuhur to Asr.
However if you did enter a Masjid to Solat Friday prayer, then fight after Friday prayer, you can Solat Jamak Takdim Asr before continuing on your journey.