The Shafi'i school, followed widely in Southeast Asia, East Africa, Yemen, Egypt and parts of the Levant and Kurdistan, treats qasr as a concession (rukhsah) from Allah. Shortening is usually better, but praying in full remains valid. It is also one of the schools most generous about combining prayers on a journey.
The travel distance
A qualifying journey is two marhalah, equal to four burud, 16 farsakh or 48 Hashimi miles. This follows reports that Ibn Umar and Ibn Abbas shortened on journeys of four burud. Modern conversions vary with the length of the mile: about 81 km is common, and Dr Wahbah al-Zuhayli gives about 89 km. The journey must also have a known destination; wandering with no fixed goal does not qualify.
When qasr begins
You may shorten once you pass your town's wall or, if it has none, its last buildings. You stay a traveller until you return to them.
Is qasr better than praying in full?
In the Minhaj of Imam al-Nawawi, shortening is better than completing when the journey reaches three marhalah. For shorter qualifying journeys, completing is better, partly to avoid the view of those who do not consider the journey long enough. Both are valid.
Conditions for qasr
- The journey must be permissible. A journey for a sinful purpose does not carry the concession.
- You must intend to shorten at the opening takbir.
- You must not follow an imam who is praying in full, even for part of the prayer. If you do, you must complete four.
- You must still be a traveller throughout the prayer.
The four-day rule
You become a resident as soon as you arrive if you intend to stay four full days, not counting the day you arrive and the day you leave. Arriving Monday and leaving Saturday gives four full days (Tuesday to Friday), so you pray in full. Arriving Monday and leaving Friday gives three, so you keep shortening.
If you don't know how long you'll stay and expect to leave any day, you may shorten for up to 18 days. After that you pray in full. This is based on the Prophet's ﷺ stay in Makkah during the conquest.
Combining prayers
A traveller may combine Dhuhr with Asr and Maghrib with Isha, either in the earlier prayer's time (jam' taqdim) or the later prayer's time (jam' ta'khir). For early combining, pray them in order, make the intention to combine during the first prayer, and don't leave a long gap. For late combining, make the intention to delay while the first prayer's time is still in.
Other rulings
- Sunnah prayers stay recommended during travel.
- You may skip a Ramadan fast if your journey began before dawn.
- Wiping over khuffs is allowed for three days and nights.
Try your trip with the Shafi'i setting in the calculator. It counts full days excluding arrival and departure for you.