Sunan Abi Dawud

The prayer was prescribed as consisting of two rak'ahs both when one was resident and when travelling. The prayer while travelling was left according to the original prescription and the prayer of one who was resident was enhanced.

I remarked to 'Umar al-Khattab: Have you seen the shortening of the prayer by the people today while Allah has said: "If you fear that those who are infidels may afflict you", whereas those days are gone now? He replied: I have wondered about the same matter for which you wondered. So I mentioned this to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He said: It is an act of charity which Allah has done to you, so accept his charity.

This has been transmitted by Abu 'Asim and Hammad b. Mas'adah as transmitted by Ibn Bakr.

I asked Anas b. Malik about the shortening of the prayer (while travelling). He said: When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out on a journey of three miles or three farsakh (the narrator Shu'bah doubted), he used to pray two rak'ahs.

I prayed along with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) four rak'ahs at the noon prayer at Medina and two rak'ahs at the afternoon prayer in Dhu al-Hulaifah.

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: Allah is pleased with a shepherd of goats who calls to prayer at the peak of a mountain, and offers prayer, Allah, the Exalted, says: Look at this servant of Mine; he calls to prayer and offers it and he fears Me. So I forgive him and admit him to paradise.

I asked Anas b. Malik: Narrate to us what you heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say. He said: When we travelled along with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), we would say: Did the sun pass the meridian or not? But he (the Prophet) would offer the noon prayer and then proceed.

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) halted at a certain place (while on a journey), he would not leave that place till he offered the noon prayer. A man said to him: Even if in the middle of the day? He replied: Even if in the middle of the day.

They (the Companions) proceeded on the expedition of Tabuk along with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He combined the noon and afternoon prayers and the sunset and night prayers. One day he delayed the prayer and came out (of his dwelling) and combined the noon and the afternoon prayers. He then went it and then came out and combined the sunset and the night prayers.

Ibn Umar was informed about the death of Safiyyah (the wife of the Prophet) when he was at Mecca. He proceeded till the sun set and the stars shined. He said: When the Prophet (ﷺ) was in a hurry about something while on a journey, he would combine both these prayers. He proceed till twilight had disappeared. He then combined both of them (the prayers).

On the expedition to Tabuk if the sun had passed the meridian before the apostle of Allah (ﷺ) moved off, he combined the noon and the afternoon prayers; but if he moved off before the sun had passed the meridian, he delayed the noon prayer till he halted for the afternoon prayer. He acted similarly for the sunset prayer; if the sun set before he moved off, he combined the sunset and the night prayers, but if he moved off before sunset, he delayed the sunset prayer till he halted for the night prayer and then combined them. Abu Dawud said: Hisham b. 'Urwah narrated this tradition from Husain b. 'Abd Allah, from Kuraib on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas from the Prophet (ﷺ) like the tradition narrated by Mufaddal and al-Laith.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) never combined the sunset and night prayers while on a journey except once. Abu Dawud said: This has been narrated by Ayyub from Nafi' from Ibn 'Umar as a statement of Ibn 'Umar. Ibn 'Umar was never seen combining these two prayers except on the night he was informed about the death of Safiyyah. The tradition narrated by Makhul from Nafi' indicates that he (Nafi') saw Ibn 'Umar doing so once or twice.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) combined the noon and the afternoon prayers, and combined the sunset and night prayers without any danger or journey. Malik said: I think it so happened during rain. Abu Dawud said: Hammad b. Salamah narrated it like manner from Abu al-Zubair, it has also been narrated by Qurrah b. Khalid from Abu al-Zubair. He said: It is so happened in a journey that we made to Tabuk.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) combined the noon and afternoon prayers, and the sunset and night prayers at Medina without any danger and rain. He was asked: What did he intend by it ? He replied: He intended that his community might not fall into hardship.

The mu'adhdhin of Ibn Umar said: prayer (i.e. the time of prayer has come). He said: Go ahead. He then alighted before the disappearance. He then offered the night prayer. He then said: When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was in a hurry about something, he would do as I did. Then he travelled and covered a distance of three days' journey on the day. Abu Dawud said: A similar tradition has been transmitted by Ibn Jabir from Nafi' with the same chain.

'Abd Allah b. al-'Ala' narrated on the authority of Nafi' saying: When the twilight was about to disappear, he alighted and combined both (the prayers).

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led us in prayer at Medina eight of seven rak'ahs, in the noon and afternoon prayers, and the sunset and night prayers. The narrator Sulaiman and Musaddad did not say the words "led us". Abu Dawud said: The aforesaid tradition has also been narrated by Salih, the client of Tu'mah on the authority if Ibn 'Abbas saying: "Not during rain."

When the sun set at Mecca, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) combined the two prayers at Sarif.

There was a distance of ten miles between them, that is, Mecca and Sarif.

Abdullah ibn Dinar said: The sun set when I was with Abdullah ibn Umar. We proceeded, and when we saw that the evening came, we said prayer. He went on travelling until the twilight disappeared and the stars became thick. He then slighted and combined the two prayers. Then he said: I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ); when he hastened his travelling, he would pray like this prayer of mine. He said: He would combine the two prayers after the passing of a part of night. AbuDawud said: This has been transmitted by Asim ibn Muhammad from his brother on the authority of Salim and this has also been narrated by Ibn AbuNajih from Isma'il ibn AbdurRahman ibn Dhuwayb saying that Ibn Umar would combine the two prayers after the disappearance of twilight.