What is Qasar Salaat

  

What is Qasar

 

It is compulsory for a person who is considered a traveler by the Shariah to offer Salaat as “Qasar” i.e. offer 2 Raka'at of Fardh Salaat for the usual 4 Raka'at of Fardh.  The Salaat should be made up in the same way in which it was left, whether it was missed in a journey or in the home country.

 

Qaza of Salaat missed while traveling

 

It is necessary for every believer to offer Salaat and fulfill other obligations (Faraaidh), irrespective of whether it is a journey or the home country.  The way we make preparations for a journey, in the same way we should regard worship as more important than all other preparations.

 

When the time for the Salaat starts in the home country and the person becomes a traveler after the time has started; then the Salaat should be made up (Qaza should be performed) as “Qasar” because the person was a traveler when the time for the Salaat ended.  The person got the beginning time of the Salaat in the home country, but for Qaza, the ending time is considered.  Thus, if the person was a traveler when the time for the Salaat ended, then the Salaat should be made up as “Qasar”.  If the person was in the home country, then the Salaat should be offered in full, as has been given in Miraaqi Faalih, Kitab Us Salaat.

 

Translation: For the 4 Raka'at in the home country and the 2 Raka'at during a journey, the ending time of Salaat will be considered.  If any person was a traveler when the time for the Salaat ended, then only 2 Raka'at should be offered and if the person was in the home country, then all 4 Raka'at should be offered.

 

For e.g. you are going from Hyderabad to Mumbai, the time for Isha commences in Hyderabad, but the time for Isha ended while you were in a journey, so while offering the Qaza for this Salaat, you should offer only 2 Raka'at i.e. Qasar.

 

Salaat of a native in the lead of a traveler Imam

 

A person who is a traveler in light of the Shariah should offer Qasr, i.e. 2 instead of 4 Fardh Raka'at Salaat.  If the traveler is the Imam for a Salaat, he will end the Salaat after 2 Raka'at and the followers who are travelers too will finish their Salaat along with the Imam.  The native followers, on whom there is no Qasr, should stand up and complete the remaining 2 Raka'at of Salaat.  Since these 2 Raka'at are the 3rd and the 4th Raka'at of that Fardh Salaat, hence only Surah Fatiha will be recited in them and there is no need for recitation of any other Surah along with the Surah Fatiha.

 

In such a case, it is desirable (Mustahab) that the traveler Imam, after completion of his 2 Raka'at Salaat, should declare that the native followers may complete their remaining Salaat because he is a traveler, so that people don’t end up thinking that the Imam has made a mistake.

 

As given in Fatawa A'alamgiri Vol. No. 1, Pg. No. 85.

 

As given in Durre Mukhtar Radd Ul Muhtaar Vol. No. 1, Pg. No. 584.