273. Mujahid says that once the Prophet was in `Usfan. A group of pagans chanced to be around. When the Muslims did their noon Prayers, it occurred to them that they could have attacked and plundered them while they were thus engaged. Allah revealed this verse between the noon and the afternoon Prayers. Accordingly, when the Prophet did his afternoon Prayers he made two rows of them, all joining the congregation. However, when he did his prostration, only one row prostrated itself with him. The other stood guard (although still in Prayers). At the time of the second rak`ah prostration, those of the rear row advanced and prostrated themselves with him while those of the first row retreated standing guard (while still in Prayers). “Thus,” Ibn `Abbas said, “the Prayers are: four rak`ah within towns, two in journey and one when in danger of attack.” And `Umar has been reported as saying that he wondered aloud before the Prophet as to why they were shortening their Prayers in every journey, fear of attack or not, despite Allah having made it conditional to the fear of attack? The Prophet replied: “This is a charitable gift from your Lord, so accept it as that” (Ibn Jarir). This report about `Umar is in Muslim, Tirmidhi and Musnad Ahmad. In fact, the Prophet is reported in sahih ahadith as having Prayed two rak`at in his journey to Madinah after the fall of Makkah, although that was not a situation of fear. As for the story about shortening of Prayers in `Usfan, it is well reported, with a version close to it in Bukhari also (Ibn Kathir). Qurtubi adds: The Prophet is reported to have offered Prayers with the impeding fear of attack scores of times, praying differently on different occasions, which indicates that there is much latitude in the exact manner of this Prayer. Fiqh Points The following points are from Mufti Shafi`: • 1. The minimum travelling distance for shortening the Prayers is, according to the Hanafiyyah, three manazil (about 48 miles, or about 80 km.: Au.) • 2. There is no option in shortening. That is, one has to necessarily shorten the Prayers when in a journey. • 3. If one reaches his destination and intends to stay there for 15 or less number of days then he shortens the Prayers, otherwise completes them. • 4. If someone extends the stay by less than 15 days, over the first 15 days, then too he shortens the Prayers, even if he has to re-extend several times over (Au.). • 5. It is only the Zuhr, `Asr and `Isha’ Prayers that are shortened. (In actual fact, adds Alusi, all Prayers are four raka`ah. The Fajr Prayer has been shortened because of the long recitation in it and the Maghrib because it is the witr of the day-Prayers). • 6. Prayers should be shortened in every journey even if there is no fear of any sort. • 7. There is no shortening of the sunan, if one wishes to perform them. • 8. In the situations of actual combat, the Prayers might either be deferred, or, as Qurtubi and others have said, might be done individually by signs (Au.). • 9. Salah al-Khawf is still statutory, even though the Prophet is not amongst us. (The Companions used to Pray Salah al-Khawf in the battle-fields: Au.).

274. That is, if you think weapons will be damaged by exposure to rains, then you can lay them aside in a protected place.

275. The verse covers both the situations of security (within the towns) as well as that of travel. In both situations one completes his Prayers: four rak`ah in the towns and two rak`ah in the journeys. As for the shortened two rak`ah of the journey, the scholars are unanimous that since they are shortened by Allah’s commandment, they are complete. In fact, `A’isha has been reported as saying that the Prayers were originally two rak`ah only, that were increased to four in towns. Therefore, the two rak`ah of the journey are complete and hence the words of the Qur’an:

فَإِذَا اطْمَأْنَنْتُمْ فَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ [النساء : 103]

“When you feel secure, offer the Prayers (i.e., un-shortened).”

276. Majid quotes Dr. Iqbal: “The timings of the daily prayer which according to the Qur’an restores self-possession to the ego by bringing it into closer touch with the ultimate source of life and freedom, is intended to save the ego from the mechanizing effects of sleep and business. Prayer in Islam is the ego’s escape from mechanism to freedom.”

277. As it happened at Uhud that when the Muslims were defeated, the Prophet climbed a hill. Abu Sufyan came to the foot of the hill and shouted out:

يوم بيوم بدر الأيام دول و الحرب سجال فقال عمر : لا سواء قتلانا في الجنة و قتلاكم في النار

“Today it was retaliation for the day of Badr! Days are exchangeable. War is a (water) pail (that goes up and down a well).” `Umar replied: “(Not equal are we). Our dead are in Paradise while yours are in Hell.”