Are We Supposed to Pray Sunna and Witr Prayers When Traveling?

Answered by Shaykh Abu Usama

Question: I am correct in saying that in the qasr salah I would pray just the two fard and not the two sunnah and for the magrib salah I would just prayer three fard and not the two sunnah and two nawafil? and also I would need to prayer the three witr for the isha salaat?

Answer: Al-Salam `alaykum

Witr salāh is wājib. Hence it must be offered whilst on a journey as well. If it is missed then qadā’ must be made.

Sunna Salāh should not be unduly missed during the journey. However if the musāfir is in a hurry then, apart from the Sunna of Fajr, it will be permissible for him to omit the other Sunna salāhs. If he is not in a hurry nor does he fear his companions leaving him behind (for e.g. when he is comfortably residing for a number of days at a place) then he should offer all the Sunnah Salāhs.

There is no reduction in the number of raka‛āt of Sunnah salāh.

It should not be misunderstood that Sunna or Nafl salah cannot be offered whilst on a journey. This is not true.

Abu Usama
Durban, South Africa