Prayer in travel journey.
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
(May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
Im a
Software Engineer working in bangalore but my native place is in Mysore.So
every weekend I travel to my native place in train which takes about 3 hours.In
the mean time I will miss atleast one time prayer.As you know there will not be
enough space in Trains to perform prayers.If I travel in Bus it will be even
worst.What should I do, should I not travel to mysore at all to see my
parents.Im in a dilemma whether to go to mysore every week or not..........please
reply..................awaiting for your reply....
(There may be some grammatical and spelling
errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in
confidentiality.)
Answer:
Prayer in travel
journey
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His
help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide,
and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear
witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear
witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His
Messengers.
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah
Nisaa verse 103:
Indeed the Salaat is a prescribed duty that
should be performed by the believers at (their) appointed times.
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 4.636 Narrated by Abu Dhaar
The Prophet (saws) said: "Wherever the
time for the prayer comes upon you, perform the prayer,
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.393 Narrated by Jabir
Allah's Messenger (saws) used to pray
(optional, non-obligatory prayer) while riding on his mount (his camel, Rahila)
wherever it turned; and whenever he (saws) wanted to pray the obligatory (fard)
prayer, he (saws) dismounted and prayed facing the Qibla.
If one is traveling in a public vehicle like a plane, or a
train, etc. and one fears that one might miss the time to fulfill their
obligatory prayer before they reach their destination, the absolute majority of
the scholars and jurists in Islam are of the opinion that one has to offer even
one’s obligatory prayers while seated in their vehicle. In such situations, the otherwise obligatory
condition of standing and turning one’s face towards the direction of the
‘qibla’ for prayer would not be applicable…..it is expected that their worship
will be acceptable to their Lord Most Gracious.
If one is in control of one’s vehicle, or if one can
possibly request the ‘driver’ of the vehicle to stop for a few minutes so that
one may offer their prayers…..then it would definitely be preferred that one
dismount from one’s vehicle and fulfill their obligatory prayer unto their
Lord. But if one is not in control of
one’s vehicle (like a plane, or a train, or a bus, etc.), and one fears that
one would miss one’s prayer on time, there is no harm if one offers one’s
prayer in their seated position in their vehicle.
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only
due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me
alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is
the Only Source of Strength.
Your brother and
well wisher in Islam,
Burhan