Performing Optional Salah (Prayer) on a Journey

سَأَلْتُهُ‌[2] عَنِ الصَّلَاةِ فِي السَّفَرِ قَالَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ لَيْسَ قَبْلَهُمَا وَ لَا بَعْدَهُمَا شَيْ‌ءٌ إِلَّا أَنَّهُ يَنْبَغِي لِلْمُسَافِرِ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ بَعْدَ الْمَغْرِبِ أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ وَ لْيَتَطَوَّعْ بِاللَّيْلِ مَا شَاءَ إِنْ كَانَ نَازِلًا وَ إِنْ كَانَ رَاكِباً فَلْيُصَلِّ عَلَى دَابَّتِهِ وَ هُوَ رَاكِبٌ وَ لْتَكُنْ صَلَاتُهُ إِيمَاءً وَ لْيَكُنْ رَأْسُهُ حَيْثُ يُرِيدُ السُّجُودَ أَخْفَضَ مِنْ

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about Salah (prayer) on a journey. He (the Imam) said, ‘ It is a two Rak‘at without anything before or thereafter, except that it is appropriate for a traveler to perform four Rak‘at after al-Maghrib and optional Salah (prayer) during the night as much as he wants, if a traveler on

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ أَرْبَعُ رَكَعَاتٍ بَعْدَ الْمَغْرِبِ لَا تَدَعْهُنَّ فِي حَضَرٍ وَ لَا سَفَرٍ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘There are four Rak‘at after al-Maghrib. You must not omit them, regardless of being on a journey or while at home.’”

الصَّلَاةُ فِي السَّفَرِ رَكْعَتَانِ لَيْسَ قَبْلَهُمَا وَ لَا بَعْدَهُمَا شَيْ‌ءٌ إِلَّا الْمَغْرِبَ فَإِنَّ بَعْدَهَا أَرْبَعَ رَكَعَاتٍ لَا تَدَعْهُنَّ فِي حَضَرٍ وَ لَا سَفَرٍ وَ لَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ قَضَاءُ صَلَاةِ النَّهَارِ[1] وَ صَلِّ صَلَاةَ اللَّيْلِ وَ اقْضِهِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Salah (prayer) on a journey is of two Rak‘at and there is nothing before or thereafter except al-Maghrib after which there are four Rak‘at which you must not omit on a journey or while at home. You are not required to perform the compensatory Salah (prayer) during the day but you shou

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَاتَتْنِي صَلَاةُ اللَّيْلِ فِي السَّفَرِ فَأَقْضِيهَا فِي النَّهَارِ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ إِنْ أَطَقْتَ ذَلِكَ.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about nightly optional Salah (prayer) which are missed. Can I perform the compensatory prayer for them during the day? He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, you can do so, if you are able to bear it.’”

نَعَمْ حَيْثُمَا كُنْتَ مُتَوَجِّهاً قَالَ فَقُلْتُ عَلَى الْبَعِيرِ وَ الدَّابَّةِ قَالَ نَعَمْ حَيْثُمَا كُنْتَ مُتَوَجِّهاً قُلْتُ أَسْتَقْبِلُ الْقِبْلَةَ إِذَا أَرَدْتُ التَّكْبِيرَ قَالَ لَا وَ لَكِنْ تُكَبِّرُ حَيْثُمَا كُنْتَ مُتَوَجِّهاً وَ كَذَلِكَ فَعَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about performing optional Salah (prayer) on the back of camel or stumper. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, you can do so as your face is.’ I then asked, ‘Am I required to face al-Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah) when saying Takbir (Allah is great beyond description)? He (the Imam) said, ‘No, you are not

خَرَجْتُ مَعَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فِيمَا بَيْنَ مَكَّةَ وَ الْمَدِينَةِ فَكَانَ يَقُولُ أَمَّا أَنْتُمْ فَشَبَابٌ تُؤَخِّرُونَ وَ أَمَّا أَنَا فَشَيْخٌ أُعَجِّلُ فَكَانَ يُصَلِّي صَلَاةَ اللَّيْلِ أَوَّلَ اللَّيْلِ.

“Once abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and I journeyed between Makkah and al-Madinah and he would say, ‘You, however, are young people, thus you delay. I am old so I hurry up.’ He (the Imam) would perform the nightly optional Salah (prayer) in the beginning of the night.”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يُصَلِّي عَلَى رَاحِلَتِهِ قَالَ يُومِئُ إِيمَاءً يَجْعَلُ السُّجُودَ أَخْفَضَ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ قُلْتُ يُصَلِّي وَ هُوَ يَمْشِي قَالَ نَعَمْ يُومِئُ إِيمَاءً وَ لْيَجْعَلِ السُّجُودَ أَخْفَضَ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ.

“I once asked abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who performs Salah (prayer) on his stumper. He (the Imam) said, ‘He makes gestures for Sujud (prostrations) lower than the gesture for Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees).’ I then asked, ‘Can he perform Salah (prayer) while walking? He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, but in the fo

فِي الرَّجُلِ يُصَلِّي النَّوَافِلَ فِي الْأَمْصَارِ وَ هُوَ عَلَى دَابَّتِهِ حَيْثُ تَوَجَّهَتْ بِهِ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ لَا بَأْسَ.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who performs optional Salah (prayer) in the cities while on the stumper and to whatever direction it faces. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, it is not harmful.’”

أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ يَرَى بَأْساً أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ الْمَاشِي وَ هُوَ يَمْشِي وَ لَكِنْ لَا يَسُوقُ الْإِبِلَ‌[1].

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), did not consider it harmful to perform Salah (prayer) while walking, but he must not be driving a camel.”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ صَلَاةِ اللَّيْلِ وَ الْوَتْرِ فِي أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ فِي السَّفَرِ إِذَا تَخَوَّفْتُ الْبَرْدَ وَ كَانَتْ عِلَّةٌ فَقَالَ لَا بَأْسَ أَنَا أَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ.

‘It is not harmful and I do it so.’”

سَأَلْتُهُ يَعْنِي الرِّضَا ع عَنِ الْأَرْبَعِ رَكَعَاتٍ بَعْدَ الْمَغْرِبِ فِي السَّفَرِ يُعْجِلُنِي الْجَمَّالُ وَ لَا يُمَكِّنِّي الصَّلَاةَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ هَلْ أُصَلِّيهَا فِي الْمَحْمِلِ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ صَلِّهَا فِي الْمَحْمِلِ.

“I once asked him (Imam al-Rida’) (a.s.), about the four Rak‘at after al-Maghrib on a journey, because camel man is in hurry and I am not able to perform on the ground. Can I perform Salah (prayer) in the carriage on the camel’s back? He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, you can perform it in the carriage.’”

صَلِّ رَكْعَتَيِ الْفَجْرِ فِي الْمَحْمِلِ.

“Al-Rida’ (a.s.), has said, ‘You can perform the two morning Rak‘at in the carriage.”