15. Shortening Prayers During Travel
١٥۔ كتاب تقصير الصلاة فى السفر
"Ibn 'Umar did not offer more than two rak'ahs when traveling, and he did not offer any prayer before or after that. It was said to him: 'What is this?' He said: 'This is what I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ doing.'"
هَكَذَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَصْنَعُ
"My father told me: 'I was with Ibn Umar on a journey, and he prayed Zuhr and 'Asr with two rak'ahs each, then he went and sat on his carpet. He saw some people offering voluntary prayers and said: What are these people doing? I said: They are offering voluntary prayers. He said: If I had wanted to pray before and after (the obligatory prayer) I would have offered it in full. I accompanied the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he did not pray more than two rak'ahs when traveling, and Abu Bakr (did likewise) until he died, as did 'Umar and 'Uthman, may Allah (SWT) be pleased with them all."
مَا يَصْنَعُ هَؤُلاَءِ قُلْتُ يُسَبِّحُونَ قَالَ لَوْ كُنْتُ مُصَلِّيًا قَبْلَهَا أَوْ بَعْدَهَا لأَتْمَمْتُهَا صَحِبْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَكَانَ لاَ يَزِيدُ فِي السَّفَرِ عَلَى الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ وَأَبَا بَكْرٍ حَتَّى قُبِضَ وَعُمَرَ وَعُثْمَانَ ؓ كَذَلِكَ