Sunnah Salah In Journey
Q. Should we
perform the Sunnah Salah while we are on journey and whilst performing
Qasr in the obligatory prayers? Some people say that the Sunnah Salah
is not permissible in journey, and the Holy Prophet ( Sallal Laho Alaihi
Wasallam ) did not perform it during his travels. What is the correct
view of the Shariah?
(Ibid)
A. The correct position, according to the majority of Muslim jurists,
is that the Sunnah becomes Nafl or mustahabb when one is on travel. if
he performs it, he deserves much reward, but if he leaves it, there is
no sin on him.It is not correct to say that the Holy Prophet ( Sallal
Laho Alaihi Wasallam ) did not offer the Sunnah prayer during his travels.
In fact, sometimes the Holy Prophet did perform the Sunnah Prayer while
on travel and sometimes he did not. Both ways are equally eastablished
by the authentic traditions. For example, he blessed Companion Bara' ibn
' Azib reports that he accompanied the Holy Prophet ( Sallal Laho Alaihi
Wasallam ) in eighteen journeys and he never found him abandoning the
two rak'at after the Zawal.
(See Tirmidhi and Abu Dawood)
Even 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar has reported both ways. In a tradition he reports
that the Holy Prophet ( Sallal Laho Alaihi Wasallam ) did not offer the
Sunnah or nafl prayers in this travels but in another report he says that
the Holy Prophet ( Sallal Laho Alaihi Wasallam ) used to offer Sunnah
or nafl Prayers. Both the reports are available in the Sunnan of Tirmidhi.
There is, in fact no contradiction between the reports. Actually, the
Holy Prophet ( Sallal Laho Alaihi Wasallam ). Sometimes prayed the Sunnah
prayers, and sometimes left them. So, all the four muslim Schools (Hanafi,
Shaf'i, Maliki and Hanbali) are unanimous on the point that performing
the Sunnah prayers in journey is more desirable if one is in peaceful
condition. However, if someone does not offer the Sunnah Prayer while
he is in journey, he should not be regarded as sinful.
(See Almughni, Ibn Qudamah (2:141) and Ibn 'Abidin)
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