He Shortened the Maghrib Prayer During Travel

11-2-2019 | IslamWeb

Question:

Salaam ‘Alaykum. [I need an answer as soon as possible, please]. Not so long ago, I read that maghrib prayer is not to be shortened at all, and when I read that, it felt like it was the first time reading that and it felt like I learnt something new. Then I remembered that years ago, I travelled somewhere with my family and I shortened the prayers during my travel. However, now I am not sure if I ignorantly shortened maghrib as well and prayed two rak‘ahs instead of three, and I think I did shorten it if I am being honest. What should I do? Should I repeat those prayers just in case? I am currently not repeating those prayers until I receive an answer from the people of knowledge, so that I act correctly. However, I hope that if it turns out that I do have to repeat those prayers, then this does not affect my current prayers that I am praying daily, because of me waiting and therefore not fulfilling the obligation of tarteeb [i.e. since those maghrib prayers must come before any prayers that I do now]. Jazaakum-Allaah Khayran.

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

The Maghrib prayer is not shortened during travel without any difference of opinion among the scholars. Ibn al-Munthir said:

“The scholars have unanimously agreed that the Maghrib and the Fajr prayers are not to be shortened.” [End of quote]

Therefore, if you believe that you had shortened the Maghrib prayer, then you have to perform it again immediately, without making up again other prayers that are after it or before it.

If you had shortened many Maghrib prayers, then you have to make them up all. If you are in doubt about the exact number of the prayers and you are not certain about how many they were, then you have to make up a number by which you become certain that you are acquitted from liability.

Allah knows best.