Will you give information about performing prayers by shortening, jam at-taqdim (early combination) and jam at-takhir (late combination) while travelling?

- Will you give information about performing prayers by shortening, jam at-taqdim (early combination) and jam at-takhir (late combination) while travelling? If a person perform prayers by doing jam at-taqdim and then finds enough time to perform the prayer in its determined time, does he have to perform it again?

1) How can one make intention to perform prayers by shortening, jam at-taqdim and jam at-takhir while travelling? 2) If a person knows that he can perform the afternoon (asr) prayer in time, can he perform it as jam at-taqdim? Can he perform it as jam at-takhir though he can perform it on time? (Shafii and Hanafi)

Dear Brother / Sister,

1. In Shafiis, shortening prayers while travelling is permissible but combination (jam) is more appropriate. If a person intends to perform prayers by shortening and jam, it is enough to intend through his heart.

In Hanafis, there is no jam except hajj. It is wajib for Hanafis, to perform four-rak'ah fard prayers as two rak'ahs. When it is performed as four rak'ahs, the last two rak'ahs are regarded as sunnah. 

2. If a person who hopes that he can perform the afternoon (asr) prayer on time, can perform it as jam at-taqdim if the travel is planned to continue until the afternoon prayer is performed. However, it is better for a person who hopes that he can perform the afternoon prayer on time to perform it on time.   

In jam at-taqdim, it is necessary for the travel to last until the time for the second prayer starts. If a person arrives at the place where he lives before the time for the second prayer starts, he has to perform it in its determined time. 

A person who performs prayer by combining them does not perform a prayer in its determined time even if he finds enough time to perform it if he has combined them in accordance with the conditions of combination.

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