Question:-
Are we as followers of the Hanafi Madhab permitted to combine Zuhr and Asr Salaah in Zuhr time, or Maghrib and Esha in either Maghrib time, or Esha time. Will the ruling differ if one is a traveller or a resident at home?
Answer:-
We as followers of the Hanafi Madhab are not permitted to combine two Salaahs in one time (whether one is a resident or traveller) such as performing the Zuhr and Asr Salaah in Zuhr time, or performing the Maghrib and Esha Salaah in Maghrib time for example.
Yes, if a person delays performance of his Zuhr Salaah until shortly before the expiry of Zuhr time, and as soon as the Asr time enters he performs the Asr Salaah, then this will be permitted (particularly if a traveller is hastening to reach his destination). Outwardly, it seems as though both Salaahs have been combined whereas in reality each Salaah was performed in its respective time. The same applies to Maghrib and Esha.
In conclusion, we as followers of the Hanafi school of thought are not permitted to gather between two Salaah (even as travellers) in one time, but we may delay one Salaah until shortly before expiry of the time, and then perform the next Salaah as soon as the time sets in as explained above.
ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai
24 Rabi-ul-Aakhir 1434 / 29 November 2021
