How a Home Coming Traveler Applies Applicable Rules

“I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about a man who returns home from a journey. To what time is he required to perform his Salah (prayer) as reduced, and when is he required to perform his Salah (prayer) as complete? He (the Imam) said, ‘If you enter a land and you become certain of staying there for ten days, then perform your Salah (prayer) as complete. If you do not know for how long you stay there and think that you may leave it tomorrow or the next day, then perform your Salah (prayer) as reduced up to a month. When a month passes in such condition, then perform your Salah (prayer) as complete even if you decide to leave at that hour.”’

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who is in al-Basra and he is from al- Kufah. He has a house there and he passes by al-Kufah just as a passer-by without an intention to stay there except for picking up supplies within one or two days. He (the Imam) said, ‘He is required to stay in one side of the city and perform his Salah (prayer) as reduced.’ I then asked, ‘What is he required to do if he visits his family?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘He is required to perform his Salah (prayer) complete.’”

“Muhammad ibn Muslim once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when I was listening, about a traveler who thinks to stay for ten days. He (the Imam) said, ‘He is required to perform his Salah (prayer) as complete. If he does not know for how long he will stay, like for one or more, he can count to thirty days, then perform his Salah (prayer) as complete even if thereafter he stays for one day or one Salah (prayer).’ Muhammad ibn Muslim then said, ‘I am told that you have said it is five.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, I had said that.’ Abu Ayyub has said that he said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, can it be less than five?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘No, it cannot be less than five.’”