(#155)
Country: United Kingdom
Question
As Salaamu Alaykum Shaykh. A. I am planning to travel to Istanbul for about 2 months, In Shā Allāh, I live in Oldham (town) which is part of greater Manchester though I have heard about difference of opinion and I am not sure if when arriving at Manchester Airport I will be required to start pray Qasr until reaching Istanbul as the flight time is 4:55pm and my uncle said we have to set off at 12pm which is before Dhuhr enters so hearing of a difference of opinion related to city limits I am unsure what to do?
B. Shaykh during the flight, when access to wifi comes at a cost, do you know of any app or resource to use to determine prayer times during the flight or should one focus on direct observation? (As I have not done observations before I am also unsure here in terms of how it will look to be certain of entry of prayer time)
C. Shaykh if one is on a plane and the stewards don’t let a person stand up or sit down to pray (with actual bowing and prostration) and they tell to remain in the seat and the prayer time is close to exiting, in this case when the person prays sitting in his seat does he still recite Surah Al Fatihah and another Surah as well as saying what one normally does in the different positions in prayer?
Answer
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته
حامدا و مصليا و مسلما
Muhtaram
We have received your query dated 06/09/2022, our response is as follows:
1) If a person leaves his hometown with the intention of travelling for more than 77 kilometers he becomes a Musafir. He will start counting the kilometres as soon as he leaves the boundary of the city or town where he stays. He will only make Qasr once he is outside the boundary of the town. Therefore, if ones reads Salaah in the town he will read in full although he has already left his house with the intention of Safr.
Thus, the boundary of one’s suburb will not be considered (when calculating one’s journey) when it is attached to other suburbs and the greater metropolitan city/town, but rather the suburb will form part of the town/city in as far as the rules of travelling is concerned. [1]
Thus, if the airport is in the city then Qasr salaah will be performed after the aircraft takes off.
If the airport is outside the boundary of the greater city then Qasr Salaah will be performed at the Airport.
2) One should enquire from the flight crew regarding the exact time and perform ones Salaah timeously. Furthermore, one may observe the position of the Sun and perform ones Salaah accordingly. [2]
3) One must exhaust all possible means to pray Salaah whilst standing, as Qiyam (standing position) is Fardh (compulsory). If the Salaat is performed in a corner or by the exits and out of the way then inshallah there will be no issues in performing Salaah. However, in the unfortunate situation wherein one is unable to stand and perform Salaah then one will perform the Salaah whilst sitting and everything which is usually recited in Salaah i.e. Surah Fatihah and a Surah etc. will be recited whilst praying in the sitting posture as well. However, in such a situation the Salaah needs to be repeated on landing as the standing posture is Fardh (compulsory) in Salaah. [3]
And Allah Ta’ala knows best
Answered by:
Muhammad Irshad Motara
11th Safr 1444
9th September 2022
Checked and approved by:
(Mufti) Musayyab Sahib
11th Safr 1444
9th September 2022
[1] شہر کی آبادی سے باہر ہو جاۓ تو مسافر بن جاوے گا ، اور جب تک آبادی کے اندر اندر چلتا ہے تب تک مسافر نہیں ہے ۔
محمود الفتاوي ، ص ۱۳۱ ، ج ۳
أحسن الفتاوي ، ص ۷٤ ، ج ٤ . سعيد
فتاوى رحيمية ، ص ١٦٨ ، ج ٤ . دار الاشاعت
كتاب النوازل ، ص ٣٩٧ ، ج ٥ . المركز العلمي للنشر والتحقيق
فتاوى دار العلوم زكريا ، ص ٥٩٨ ، ج ٢ .
فتاوى عثماني ، ص ٤٩٨ ، ج ١ . مكتبة معارف القرآن کراچی
وأشار الي انه يشترط مفارقة ما كان من توابع موضع الإقامة كربض المصر وهو ما حول المدينة من بيوت ومساكين فانه في حكم المصر وكذا القرى المتصلة بالربض في الصحيح…واما الفناء وهو المكان المعد لمصالح البلد كركض الدواب ودفن الموتى والقاء التراب، فان اتصل بالمصر اعتبر مجاورته وان انفصل بغلوة او مزرعة فلا كما يأتي (رد المحتار: ج ٢-ص١٢١-سعيد) وكذا في الهندية ص ١٣٩-ج١-رشيدية)
[2] فتاوى محمودية: ج٥-ص ٥٢٦-فاروقية
احسن الفتاوى : ج٢-ص٣١٨
[3] فتاوى دار العلوم زكريا – ج ٢-ص١٣٧
