The second question of Fatwa no.
20866
All praise be to Allah Alone, and peace and blessings be upon the Last Messenger.The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta’ has read the question that was sent to His Eminence the Mufty (Islamic scholar qualified to issue legal opinions) by the Head of the Department of Religious Affairs at the Borders Guard in the Eastern Region the Lieutenant:
‘Adel ibn Muhammad (Part No. 6; Page No. 394) Al-Bidiwy.
The concerned letter was transferred to the Committee by the secretariat-general for the Council of Senior Scholars under the number 469 and dated 18/01/1420 A. H. The questioner asked different questions. Following is his second question:Q 2: Some patrols move from headquarters or sectors under them and travel for long distances that sometimes extend to four hundred kilometers. Some of these patrols may then have a short stay of three to ten days at some specific places. It may be worth mentioning that going on such patrols is the main work of one department in Borders Guard where officers always travel from one place to another just as people working on trucks and lorries do as this is the nature of their work. We hope thus that your Eminence clarify the ruling on shortening and combining Salah (Prayer) if a person is on their way or if they stay in a specific place after arrival for carrying out a certain task. Besides, what is the ruling on breaking Sawm (Fast) due to being in a patrol that goes for long distances or stays in a specific place for finishing some work? It may be worth mentioning that the duration of accomplishing a task may range to ten days. Besides, is there a minimum travel distance for combining and shortening Salah? May Allah reward you with the best for supporting us and Muslims.
A:
Officers who go on patrols for eighty kilometers or more from the place of their residence are to shorten their Salah during the patrol. (Part No. 6; Page No. 395) However, officers in patrols that go for less than the foregoing distance or who do not know whether they will go to a far or short distance have to perform the Salah in full and not shorten it. Regarding the case of the officers staying in a specific place after arrival, if they intend to stay for four days or less or if they do not know the duration of their stay; they are to shorten Salah provided that the distance of their travel is eighty kilometers or more. If they intend to stay for more than four days; they have to complete their Salah.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.