Praying while travelling
Allah has made prayer easier for travellers. You can shorten some prayers and, in many cases, combine them.
Shortening (qasr)
When travelling, the 4-rak‘ah prayers — Dhuhr, Asr and Isha — can be shortened to 2 rak‘ahs. Fajr (2) and Maghrib (3) stay the same.
Combining (jam‘)
Many scholars allow travellers to combine:
- Dhuhr and Asr — prayed together in the time of either one
- Maghrib and Isha — prayed together in the time of either one
Fajr is never combined. The Hanafi school allows combining only in limited cases, so follow your school if you have one.
How far counts as travel?
Many scholars say a journey of about 80 km (50 miles) or more. Others say it depends on what people normally consider travel. The concession usually applies once you leave your town, and while you stay somewhere for only a few days. Scholars differ on the exact number of days.
On a plane, train or bus
- Check the prayer times for where you are, or your destination, before you leave.
- If you can, stand and face the Qibla. If you cannot, pray sitting in your seat and bow your head lower for sujud than for ruku‘.
- If there is no water, you may use tayammum instead of wudu.
This is a simple overview. The details differ between schools of thought. For your own situation, ask a scholar you trust.