Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
bayhaqi:5421Abū ʿAbdullāh al-Ḥāfiẓ > Abū al-ʿAbbās Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb > al-Rabīʿ > al-Shāfiʿī

[Machine] The saying of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ indicates that shortening the prayer while traveling without fear is a charity from Allah, and giving charity is a concession, not an obligation, for Allah to shorten the prayer while traveling without fear. And it indicates that they can shorten the prayer while traveling without fear if the traveler wishes to do so. And Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ did all of that when he traveled and shortened the prayer."  

البيهقي:٥٤٢١أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَافِظُ ثنا أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ أنبأ الرَّبِيعُ قَالَ قَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ

فَدَلَّ قَوْلُ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ عَلَى أَنَّ الْقَصْرَ فِي السَّفَرِ بِلَا خَوْفٍ صَدَقَةٌ مِنَ اللهِ وَالصَّدَقَةُ رُخْصَةٌ لَا حَتْمٌ مِنَ اللهِ أَنْ يَقْصُرُوا وَدَلَّ عَلَى أَنْ يَقْصُرُوا فِي السَّفَرِ بِلَا خَوْفٍ إِنْ شَاءَ الْمُسَافِرُ وَإِنَّ عَائِشَةَ ؓ قَالَتْ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ فَعَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَتَمَّ فِي السَّفَرِ وَقَصَرَ