Question:
assalam wa allykum we went from jeddah to madinah al munawwarah for 2 days,in masjid al quba i got last 2 rakahs of asr prayer in jammah,and i did not continue the other 2 rakahs after imam finished the prayer.i do not remember what niyah i made before starting the prayer.but most probabily 4 rakahs.do i have to repeat the prayer? on journey my sister did niyah for 4 rakahs in isha prayer,after 2 rakahs she realised she have to pray 2 rakahs so she finished the prayer after 2 or 3 rakahs and did sujoods for mistake.was this correct? we left madinah after praying dhur prayer and did not combined 2 rakahs of asr prayer with it and prayed on asr time. is their any sin on me for this.because i told others to combine but they all denied and i also did not combined prayer with them? may Allah reward you
Fatwa:
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.
The jurists stated that a traveler should perform the prayer without shortening it, whether he is led in prayer by a resident or he performs the prayer individually, if any of the following cases happen:
He started the prayer intending to complete the prayer.
He started the prayer not intending to shorten the prayer.
He started the prayer with a certain intention but then he doubted whether or not he intended to shorten the prayer.
Consequently, if the situation is as you mentioned regarding the prayer in which you were led by a resident, then you should have completed the prayer 4 Rak’ahs and not concluded it after praying 2 Rak’ahs only. This also applies to your sister as she started the prayer while intending to complete it and not shorten it; she also should have completed the prayer. Therefore, you are obliged to make up for that prayer.
As regards not combining Thuhr and ‘Asr prayers at the starting time of Thuhr when you travelled to Madeenah, then your prayer is valid and you are not sinful for not combining the prayers. Combining the prayers during the travel is permission granted to the traveler and not an obligation.
Allah Knows best.
Fatwa answered by:The Fatwa Center at Islamweb