Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
A husband and wife do not live in the same residence since they both attend separate universities more than 48 miles apart. Hence, they each live in their own separate apartments. When the wife visits the husband for less than 15 days, does the husband’s status as a permanent resident in his city automatically confer the same status to his wife? Would she be regarded as a resident and have to pray the prayer of a resident, or would she be regarded as a traveller and be able to shorten her prayers? Vice versa, would the husband be regarded as a traveller when visiting his wife on a trip of less than 15 days? Also, can you please elucidate what are the pre-conditions necessary in order to consider a place a “permanent residence” ?
Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah
Typically, a town one is in simply for studies is a “place of residence” and not a “permanent residence.” As such, one would shorten there if one intends to stay for less than 15 (before initiating a journey). [ Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah; Ala’ al-Din Abidin, al-Hadiyya al-`Ala’iyya ]
Please seee the following links:
Prayer: Clarification between resident and a traveler
Jazakum, Allahu khayr
Wassalam