Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Someone was telling me that according to Imam ash-Shaybani, the traveller may combine his prayers, but must pray the full rakaat. Is this true, and is this a legitimate position.
Walaikum assalam,
What is the authority for this quote?
What is mentioned in the major texts is that the position of our Imams is that one may not combine prayers, even for an excuse, except in Arafa and Muzdalifa during Hajj.
The basic reasoning for not combining prayers is:
1) It is decisively established (by clear Qur’anic verses, and by hadiths which considered together are mutawatir in meaning) that each prayer has its own prescribed time;
2) The hadiths transmitted about combining prayers are only few in number, and provide evidence that is probabalistic in both indication and establishment;
3) Several Companions of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), including Sayyidina Ibn Mas`ud (Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) did bit actually combine his prayers; rather, all he did was pray one prayer at the end of its time and then pray the next right at the beginning of its time. [Mentioned, for example, by Allama Kamal ibn al-Humam in his Fath al-Qadir, and Mula Ali al-Qari in his Fath Bab al-Inaya]
4) It is a principle in the Hanafi school that decisive proof cannot be conditioned by probabalistic proof. If it is possible to act on both, without conditioning, we do; otherwise, we stick to that which is decisive. [Mentioned in Hanafi ‘usul texts, such as Nur al-Anwar of Mulla Jeewan]
Wassalam,
Faraz.