Question
I performed Hajj this year and on our way from ‘Arafaat to Mina we performed the Maghrib and ‘Ishaa’ Prayers combined and shortened. Later, we realized that we had not entered Muzdalifah yet, for we saw a sign indicating the beginning of Muzdalifah. A Muslim advised us to perform the prayers again, and we did but we did not stay in Muzdalifah except for performing the prayer. Do we incur any sort of expiation?
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.
Your performance of Maghrib and ‘Ishaa’ Prayers before arriving at Muzdalifah was valid and correct, and you were not required to repeat them. That is because combining between Maghrib and ‘Ishaa’ in Muzdalifah is an recommended, not obligatory.
You contradicted the Sunnah by not staying in Muzdalifah till dawn. Hence, if you left Muzdalifah before midnight, every one of you would be required to slaughter an animal according to the majority of scholars and distribute its meat amongst the poor of Makkah. That is because it is not permissible to depart from Muzdalifah before midnight. This is the opinion of the Shaafi‘i and Hanbali scholars, and we hold the same opinion. However, if you departed from Muzdalifah after midnight, there would be no slaughtering required of you. Allah Knows best.