Is it permissible for Muslims in Palestine upon whom a siege is imposed and to whom shells are fired to combine two prayers, especially Maghrib and ‘Ishaa’ in the mosque and Thuhr and ‘Asr during the curfew, knowing that sometimes some civilians can go to the mosque, especially in the villages? However, it is difficult to do so in darkness. We hope that you could provide us with an explanation and religious evidence.

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and messenger.

We ask Allaah The Almighty to Remove the hardships of our Palestinian brothers and sisters and to make their determination strong and render them victorious over their enemies.

As for the ruling of combining prayers in question, we can say, and Allaah Knows best, that if they are not allowed to leave their homes to attend the ‘Asr and ‘Ishaa’ or leaving their homes at those times may expose them to danger, then there is no blame on them to combine Thuhr and ‘Asr together or Maghrib and ‘Ishaa’ together at the times in which it is easy for them to do so. This can be proven by the Hadeeth in which Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, combined Thuhr and ‘Asr and then Maghrib and ‘Ishaa’ without being in a state of fear or on a journey.” [Muslim and others]

His saying “without being in a state of fear or on a journey,” is clear proof that fear is one of the matters that allows combining prayers such as when traveling.