Does Planning to Travel Mid-Stay Affect One’s Traveler Status in Madina?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Ustadh Sufyan Qufi
Question
If someone stays in Medina for 20 days but plans to travel to Badr (150 km away) after 10 days, does that make them a musafir for the entire 20 days?
Answer
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
I pray this finds you in the best of states.
You will have to deem yourself to be a traveler for the duration of these 20 days because you have no intention of staying in a single place for 15 days or more. [Shurunbuli, Nur al-Idah]
In the Hanafi school, determining one’s status as a traveler (musafir) depends on the intention and duration of stay at a particular location. If an individual intends to stay in a place for 15 days or more, they are considered a resident (muqim) and must perform full prayers. Conversely, if the intention is to stay for less than 15 days, they retain the status of a traveler and are permitted to shorten their prayers. [Ibid.]
Allah, Most High, says:
“When you travel through the land, it is permissible for you to shorten the prayer.” [Quran, 4.101]
And Allah knows best.
Wassalam
[Ustadh] Sufyan Qufi
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadh Sufyan Qufi is an advanced seeker of knowledge, originally from Algeria, who grew up in France. He began searching for ways to learn Islam reliably and was disappointed at the answers he found locally.
Then he connected with various traditional teachers and gradually connected with SeekersGuidance. He embarked on his journey of learning through the various teachers at SeekersGuidance, including his mentor Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.
He studied numerous texts in Islamic Law, Theology, Hadith, and other areas with Shaykh Faraz Rabbani and other teachers, including Shaykh Abdurrahman al-Sha‘ar, Shaykh Ali Hani, and others.
He is an active instructor at SeekersGuidance and answers questions through the SeekersGuidance Answers Service.
