The short answer
Combining prayers when travelling means praying Dhuhr with Asr, or Maghrib with Isha, in one prayer's time, as Sahih al-Bukhari 1107, sahih by collection convention, reports. 1 Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, reports that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, joined them on travel. Ibn Qudamah's al-Mughni 2/200 reports that most scholars allow this on travel.
How do you combine Maghrib and Isha, or Dhuhr and Asr, on travel?
- Check that your journey qualifies. The Hanbali text, as Ibn Qudamah gives it, allows combining only on travel that also permits shortening 12. The other schools' travel rules differ, as the table below shows.
- Keep the order: the first prayer comes before the second. On the Shafi'i text this is one of the three conditions for early combining (praying the second prayer in the first prayer's time) 6.
- On one of Ibn Qudamah's two views, form the intention to combine at the point your school sets. The Hanbali text places it at the start of the first prayer for early combining and in the first prayer's time for late combining (delaying the first prayer into the second prayer's time) 16. The Shafi'i text requires the intention in the first prayer's time for late combining 7.
- Keep the two prayers joined. On the Shafi'i text a short pause does no harm, and a long gap ends the combining, judged by custom 8.
- On the main Shafi'i and Hanbali view, do not pray a sunnah prayer between the two. On the main Shafi'i and Hanbali view, a sunnah prayer between them ends the combining 816.
Which prayers can be combined?
The reports and school texts cited here discuss only two pairs: Dhuhr with Asr, and Maghrib with Isha. Fajr is not discussed as combined with another prayer in these sources. Shortening (qasr) is a separate rule, covered on the qasr page.
What do the hadith say about combining on travel?
Three reports from the major collections carry the travel practice. Ibn Abbas's report in Sahih al-Bukhari 1107 says the Prophet joined Dhuhr with Asr and Maghrib with Isha when he was on travel, sahih by collection convention 1.
1AuthenticSahih al-Bukhari 1107
Mu'adh ibn Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him, reports in Sahih Muslim 706b, sahih by collection convention, that during the Tabuk expedition the Prophet joined Dhuhr with Asr and Maghrib with Isha. Asked why, Mu'adh gave the reason the Prophet had: he wanted not to put his community to hardship 2.
2AuthenticSahih Muslim 706b
The detailed sequence is in Jami at-Tirmidhi 553, graded sahih on the displayed sunnah.com edition and hasan in the wording the classical works quote, a separate report from the same expedition. Mu'adh describes the timing relative to departure: if the Prophet set off before the sun declined, he delayed Dhuhr to join it to Asr; if he set off after, he brought Asr forward to Dhuhr. Maghrib and Isha follow the same pattern 3. This sequence is not in Muslim 706b.
The two wordings of the grade are both recorded in the sources list, because the printed editions do not agree.
3AuthenticJami' at-Tirmidhi 553
What do the four schools say about combining on travel?
Each row follows the named work for that school, as the work states it. Ilmwell does not decide between these positions.
| School | On travel | Other excuses (rain, illness) |
|---|---|---|
| Hanafi | Ibn Qudamah reports that the Ashab al-Ra'y (the Hanafi jurists) do not allow combining outside 'Arafah and Muzdalifah (two stations of the Hajj), and Ibn Rushd reports that Abu Hanifa and his companions forbid it outright. Ibn Rushd also reports the reading of the Kufans (the scholars of Kufa), without naming a Hanafi work, that each prayer falls in its own time. 171811 | Ashab al-Ra'y do not allow combining for rain, as Ibn Qudamah reports. 14 |
| Maliki | Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani's al-Risalah says that when the journey presses on the traveller, he may combine at the end of Dhuhr's time and the start of Asr's, and likewise Maghrib and Isha; if he sets off at the start of the first prayer's time, he combines then. 19 Ibn 'Abd al-Barr's al-Kafi allows combining in the time of one of the two prayers for a traveller whether or not the journey presses on him. He reports that Ibn al-Qasim allowed it only when the journey presses, delaying the first prayer and bringing the second forward, and calls the first view the sounder. 20 Ibn Qudamah reports that Ibn al-Qasim narrated from Malik a view against combining on travel. 11 Neither Maliki passage read here sets out a rule on the intention or on continuity. | Al-Risalah gives a concession for combining Maghrib and Isha on a rainy night, and likewise for mud and darkness. 21 Al-Kafi reports that the settled position of the school, among most of Malik's companions, allows combining in rain in every town; that mud and darkness together count as rain for Malik; and that Dhuhr and Asr are not combined for rain. 22 For illness, al-Risalah allows a sick person who fears his mind being overcome to combine at the sun's decline and at sunset, and one for whom combining is easier, as with a stomach complaint, to combine in the middle of Dhuhr's time and when the twilight disappears. Al-Kafi allows one who fears his mind being overcome, or his condition worsening, to combine as a traveller does. 2324 Ibn Qudamah also reports that Malik agrees illness can be a ground for combining. 15 |
| Shafi'i | Al-Nawawi reports that combining in the first or second prayer's time is allowed on travel, and that a traveller who is stopping prefers early combining while one on the move prefers the later form. 5 Early combining needs three conditions: the order of the prayers, the intention, and continuity. 6 Al-Ghazali and al-Mutawalli, as al-Nawawi quotes them, say leaving combining is better. 10 | Combining is allowed only for rain that wets the clothes. Mud, wind, darkness and illness are not grounds on the school's text, as al-Nawawi reports. 9 |
| Hanbali | Ibn Qudamah allows combining only on travel that also permits shortening, early or late. 1211 Ibn Qudamah reports two narrations from Ahmad on whether combining or separating is better. On whether early combining is allowed at all, he says the narration from Ahmad allowing it is the sound one, and the one most of the companions hold. On which form is better on travel, he says delaying the first prayer into the second's time is better. 13 The intention and continuity rules are set out in the same work. 16 | Rain that wets the clothes allows Maghrib with Isha only, and Ibn Qudamah does not allow Dhuhr with Asr for rain on his view. Illness that makes praying each prayer on time a hardship allows combining. 1415 |
What is the intention, and when is it made?
Early combining (jam' taqdim) means praying the second prayer in the first prayer's time. Late combining (jam' ta'khir) means delaying the first prayer into the second prayer's time.
Al-Nawawi reports that on the Shafi'i text, a late combining with no intention made in the first prayer's time turns the first prayer into a late prayer, which is a missed prayer. 7
Combining changes the time of a prayer, not its number of rak'ahs. Check your local prayer timetable for the times where you are, rather than assuming a fixed gap between the two prayers.
Examples for travellers
These examples are illustrations, not rulings. They show how the named works apply to a situation.
- A long drive across Maghrib time. On the Shafi'i text, a traveller who is on the move prefers the later form, and one who has stopped prefers early combining 5. Ibn Qudamah reports two narrations from Ahmad on whether combining or separating is better; on travel he prefers delaying the first prayer into the second's time 13.
- A flight that spans Dhuhr and Asr. Whether combining applies depends on the school you follow and on whether your journey qualifies. Ibn Rushd reports that the Kufans read the travel reports as each prayer falling in its own time 18.
- Rain on the way to the mosque. On the Shafi'i text, combining for rain applies only when the rain wets the clothes; rain that does not is not a ground 9. Al-Risalah names Maghrib with Isha for the rain concession, and likewise for mud and darkness 21.
On a long drive down to Wales, we planned Dhuhr and Asr around one stop at the services. My dad worked it out on the back of a petrol receipt. We prayed on a patch of grass behind the car park with lorries going past.
Try it: combining
Three checks, each with its source.
1In Sahih al-Bukhari 1107, which pairs does Ibn Abbas say the Prophet joined on travel?
Answer: Dhuhr with Asr, and Maghrib with Isha. The report names those two pairs. It does not name Fajr or Asr with Maghrib. Source 1
2In Sahih Muslim 706b, why does Mu'adh say the Prophet combined the prayers at Tabuk?
Answer: He wanted not to put his community to hardship. The report gives the reason as the wish not to put the community to hardship, and names neither rain nor illness. Source 2
3In Jami at-Tirmidhi 553 (graded sahih or hasan, depending on the wording), what does Mu'adh say the Prophet did when he set off before the sun declined?
Answer: He delayed Dhuhr to join it to Asr. The report says he delayed Dhuhr so that he could pray it together with Asr. Source 3
Questions people ask
Can you combine Maghrib and Isha at home when you are not travelling?
The reports and school texts cited here give two grounds other than travel: rain, and illness. Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, reports in Sahih Muslim 705b, sahih by collection convention, that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, joined Dhuhr with Asr in Madinah without fear or journey. Asked why, Ibn Abbas said he wanted no one of his community to be put to hardship. Muslim 705b does not make hardship a general licence to combine at home. Al-Nawawi reports in al-Majmu 4/378 that the Shafi'i text allows combining for rain that wets the clothes. Ibn Qudamah reports in al-Mughni 2/202 to 205 that the Hanbali text allows Maghrib with Isha for that rain, and for illness that makes each prayer on time hard. Ibn Abi Zayd's Maliki al-Risalah gives a concession to combine Maghrib with Isha on a rainy night, and for mud and darkness, and allows combining for illness in the cases it names. Ibn Qudamah reports that the Ashab al-Ra'y do not allow it for rain (al-Mughni 2/202). Schools differ on this, and no ruling is given here. For your own situation, ask a scholar you trust.
Is combining the same as shortening?
No. Combining changes when a prayer is prayed. Shortening (qasr) changes how many rak'ahs a four-rak'ah prayer has. The shortening rules are in Qasr and prayer while travelling.
For your own situation
The schools' texts differ on combining, on travel and on other excuses. Working out whether a particular journey qualifies is not covered here. For your own situation, ask a scholar you trust.
Sources
Every claim on this page comes from one of these. Gradings are reported with the scholar's name; we do not grade hadith ourselves.
- 1
Ibn Abbas reports that the Prophet joined Dhuhr with Asr and Maghrib with Isha when he was travelling.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1107 Book 18, Hadith 27
Authentic: in Sahih al-Bukhari
- 2
During the Tabuk expedition the Prophet joined Dhuhr with Asr and Maghrib with Isha, and Mu'adh reports the reason he gave: not to put his community to hardship.
Sahih Muslim 706b Book 6, Hadith 63
Authentic: in Sahih Muslim
- 3
Mu'adh describes the timing of combining at Tabuk relative to departure: before the sun declines, Dhuhr is delayed to join Asr; after, Asr is brought forward to Dhuhr; likewise Maghrib and Isha.
Jami' at-Tirmidhi 553 Book 6, Hadith 10
Authentic: Sahih (Darussalam); Hasan (Al-Tirmidhi)
- 4
Ibn Abbas reports the Prophet joined Dhuhr with Asr in Madinah without fear or journey, and that he did so so as not to put anyone of his community to hardship.
Sahih Muslim 705b Book 6, Hadith 60
Authentic: in Sahih Muslim
- 5
al-Nawawi, reporting the Shafi'i text of al-Shirazi's Muhadhdhab: combining the two prayers in the time of either is allowed; a traveller who is stopping prefers to combine early, and one on the move prefers to delay the first prayer into the second's time; al-Nawawi calls this ruling agreed.
- 6
al-Nawawi, Shafi'i school: early combining (jam' taqdim) requires three conditions: the order of the prayers (first before second), the intention to combine, and continuity between the two prayers.
- 7
al-Nawawi, Shafi'i school: for late combining (jam' ta'khir) the intention must be made during the time of the first prayer; delaying without that intention turns the first prayer into a late, missed prayer.
- 8
al-Nawawi, Shafi'i school: the two prayers must follow on from each other (continuity). A short gap does no harm and a long gap ends the combining, the length being judged by custom; a sunnah prayer between them ends the combining on the school's view.
- 9
al-Nawawi, Shafi'i school: combining is allowed for rain that wets the clothes; rain that does not wet them, mud, wind, darkness and illness are not grounds for combining on the school's text.
- 10
al-Ghazali (al-Basit) and al-Mutawalli (al-Tatimma), as quoted by al-Nawawi: leaving combining is better, and each prayer is prayed in its own time; al-Ghazali says there is no disagreement on that.
al-Majmu 4/378 (al-Nawawi, quoting al-Ghazali and al-Mutawalli)
- 11
Ibn Qudamah, al-Mughni: combining the two prayers in the time of one of them on travel is allowed in the view of most scholars; Hasan al-Basri, Ibn Sirin and the Ashab al-Ra'y (the Hanafi jurists, as Ibn Qudamah names them) allow it only at 'Arafah and Muzdalifah, a view Ibn al-Qasim also narrates from Malik.
- 12
Ibn Qudamah, al-Mughni: combining is permitted only on travel that permits shortening (qasr), a concession for the hardship of travel.
- 13
Ibn Qudamah, al-Mughni: two narrations from Ahmad on whether combining is better than separating the prayers; a narration from Ahmad allows bringing the second prayer forward into the first's time, which Ibn Qudamah calls the sound view and the one most companions hold; on travel he says the better course is delaying.
- 14
Ibn Qudamah, al-Mughni: combining for rain is allowed only for rain that wets the clothes; on the Mughni's view it is allowed between Maghrib and Isha, and combining Dhuhr with Asr for rain is not allowed, though another narration allows it; the Ashab al-Ra'y do not allow it.
- 15
Ibn Qudamah, al-Mughni: the Hanbali school allows combining for illness that makes praying each prayer in its own time a hardship and weakness; Malik agrees.
- 16
Ibn Qudamah, al-Mughni: an intention to combine is required on one of two views; its place depends on the form of combining; continuity is needed, a short gap is allowed, and a sunnah prayer between the two ends the combining on the main narration.
- 17
Ibn Rushd, Bidayat al-Mujtahid: most scholars (al-jumhur) allow combining outside 'Arafah and Muzdalifah, with differences on which places allow it; Abu Hanifa and his companions prohibit it outright.
- 18
Ibn Rushd, Bidayat al-Mujtahid: the Kufan jurists read the travel reports as apparent combining, placing the first prayer at the end of its time and the second at the start of its own time; Ibn Rushd names Abu Hanifa and his companions in the passage before. The passage does not name a Hanafi work for this reading.
- 19
Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani, al-Risalah (Maliki): when the journey presses on the traveller, he may combine the two prayers at the end of Dhuhr's time and the start of Asr's time, and likewise Maghrib and Isha; if he sets off at the start of the first prayer's time, he combines then.
- 20
Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, al-Kafi (Maliki): combining Dhuhr with Asr and Maghrib with Isha in the time of one of them is allowed for the traveller, whether or not the journey presses on him; another view, held by Ibn al-Qasim, allows it only when the journey presses, delaying the first and bringing the second forward; Ibn 'Abd al-Barr calls the first view the sounder.
- 21
Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani, al-Risalah (Maliki): a concession is given for combining Maghrib and Isha on a night of rain, and likewise for mud and darkness.
- 22
Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, al-Kafi (Maliki): in the people of Madinah's narration from Malik, combining Maghrib and Isha on a night of rain is a concession, with each prayer in its own time preferred for one not travelling except in the Prophet's mosque; the settled position of Malik's school among most of his companions allows combining in rain in every town; mud and darkness together count as rain for Malik; Dhuhr and Asr are not combined for rain for Malik and his companions.
- 23
Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani, al-Risalah (Maliki): a sick person who fears being overcome in his mind may combine at the sun's decline and at sunset; if combining is easier for him because of a stomach complaint or the like, he combines in the middle of Dhuhr's time and when the twilight disappears.
- 24
Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, al-Kafi (Maliki): a sick person who fears being overcome in his mind or that his condition will worsen may combine the two prayers in the way a traveller combines, bringing forward or delaying the prayer whose time he fears; the sick person combines too.
Next
- How to pray Salah: the whole prayerGuide
- How to pray FajrGuide
- How to pray DhuhrGuide
- How to pray AsrGuide
- How to pray IshaGuide
- How many rak'ahs in each prayerGuide
- Qasr and prayer while travellingGuide
- Travel duaWords lesson
- Prayer times toolTool
- Qibla finderTool
- Prayer and PurificationThe hub
For your own situation, ask a scholar you trust.
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