4. [an-Nisa, Medina 92 ]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَإِذَا
ضَرَبْتُمْ
فِي الأَرْضِ
فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ
جُنَاحٌ أَن
تَقْصُرُواْ
مِنَ الصَّلاَةِ...
4: 101. When ye travel through the earth, there is no blame on you if ye shorten your prayers,
C617. This Verse gives permission to shorten congregational prayers when people are on a journey: verses 102-104 deal with cases when they are in danger at war, in face of the enemy.
The shortening of prayers in both cases is further governed as to details by the practice of the Messenger and his Companions.
As to journeys, two questions arise:
1. what constitutes a journey for this purpose?
2. is the fear of an attack an essential condition for the shortening of the prayers?
As to 1, it is best to leave the matter to discretion, having regard to all the circumstances of the journey, as in the case of the journeys which excuse a fast: see 2:184, n. 190.
The text leaves it to discretion.
As to 2, the practice of the Prophet shows that danger is not an essential condition; it is merely mentioned as a possible incident. The Messenger usually shortened the prayers from four Rak'ahs to two Rak'ahs in Zuhr (midday prayer), 'Asr (afternoon prayer) and Ishaa (night prayer): the other two are in any case short,
Fajr (morning prayer) having two Rak'ahs and Maghrib (evening prayer) having three. (R).
... إِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَن يَفْتِنَكُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ...
for fear the unbelievers may attack you:
... إِنَّ الْكَافِرِينَ كَانُواْ لَكُمْ عَدُوًّا مُّبِينًا ﴿١٠١﴾
for the unbelievers are unto you open enemies.
وَإِذَا
كُنتَ فِيهِمْ
فَأَقَمْتَ
لَهُمُ الصَّلاَةَ
فَلْتَقُمْ
طَآئِفَةٌ
مِّنْهُم مَّعَكَ
وَلْيَأْخُذُواْ
أَسْلِحَتَهُمْ...
4: 102. When thou (O Messenger) art with them, and standest to lead them in prayer, let one party of them stand up (in prayer) with thee, taking their arms with them:
... فَإِذَا سَجَدُواْ فَلْيَكُونُواْ مِن وَرَآئِكُمْ وَلْتَأْتِ طَآئِفَةٌ أُخْرَى لَمْ يُصَلُّواْ...
when they finish their prostrations, let them take their positions in the rear, and let the other party come up, which hath not yet prayed,
... فَلْيُصَلُّواْ مَعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُواْ حِذْرَهُمْ وَأَسْلِحَتَهُمْ ...
and let them pray with thee, taking all precautions, and bearing arms:
... وَدَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَوْ تَغْفُلُونَ عَنْ أَسْلِحَتِكُمْ وَأَمْتِعَتِكُمْ فَيَمِيلُونَ عَلَيْكُم مَّيْلَةً وَاحِدَةً...
the unbelievers wish, if ye were negligent of your arms and your baggage, to assault you in a single rush,
C618. The congregational prayer in danger in face of the enemy rests on the principle that the congregation should be divided into two parties;
- one party prays while the other watches the enemy, and
- then the second party comes up to prayers while the first falls back to face the enemy;
either party does only one or two Rak'ahs, or about half the congregational prayer;
every precaution is taken to prevent a rush by the enemy; even while at prayers armour and arms need not be put off except when rain is likely to cause inconvenience to the wearer and damage to the arms, or when illness or fatigue causes the wearer's strength to fail.
Details can be varied according to circumstances, as was actually done by the Prophet at different times.
... وَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِن كَانَ بِكُمْ أَذًى مِّن مَّطَرٍ أَوْ كُنتُم مَّرْضَى أَن تَضَعُواْ أَسْلِحَتَكُمْ...
but there is no blame on you if ye put away your arms because of the inconvenience of rain or because ye are ill;
... وَخُذُواْ حِذْرَكُمْ...
but take (every) precaution for yourselves.
... إِنَّ اللّهَ أَعَدَّ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُّهِينًا ﴿١٠٢﴾
For the unbelievers Allah hath prepared a humiliating punishment.
فَإِذَا
قَضَيْتُمُ
الصَّلاَةَ
...
4: 103. When ye pass (congregational) prayers,
C619. Two interpretations are possible:
1. “when ye have finished congregational prayers”, or
2. “when (on account of extreme danger) ye have to pass over congregational prayers altogether-even the the shorter form indicated for times of danger.”
I prefer the latter, as it accords better with the following sentences, which allows you to remember Allah individually in any posture possible during the danger. But when the danger is past, the full prayers should be offered at the stated times.
... فَاذْكُرُواْ اللّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَى جُنُوبِكُمْ...
celebrate Allah's praises, standing, sitting down, or lying down on your sides;
... فَإِذَا اطْمَأْنَنتُمْ فَأَقِيمُواْ الصَّلاَةَ...
but when ye are free from danger, set up regular prayers:
... إِنَّ الصَّلاَةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَابًا مَّوْقُوتًا ﴿١٠٣﴾
for such prayers are enjoined on believers at stated times.
وَلاَ
تَهِنُواْ فِي
ابْتِغَاء
الْقَوْمِ ...
4: 104. And slacken not in following up the enemy:
... إِن تَكُونُواْ تَأْلَمُونَ فَإِنَّهُمْ يَأْلَمُونَ كَمَا تَأْلَمونَ ...
if ye are suffering hardships, they are suffering similar hardships;
... وَتَرْجُونَ مِنَ اللّهِ مَا لاَ يَرْجُونَ ...
but ye have hope from Allah, while they have none.
C620. Religion should be a source of strength and not of weakness in all our affairs.
If we have to struggle hard and suffer hardships, those without faith have to do the same, with this difference, that the man of Faith is full of hope in Allah, whereas the man without Faith has nothing to sustain him.
... وَكَانَ اللّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا ﴿١٠٤﴾
And Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom.
Pickthall’s Version:
4: 101
Pickthall And when ye go forth in the land, it is no sin for you to curtail (your) worship if ye fear that those who disbelieve may attack you. In truth the disbelievers are an open enemy to you.
Transliteration Wa iza_ darabtum fil ardi fa laisa 'alaikum juna_hun an taqsuru_ minas sala_h(ti), in khiftum ay yaftinakumul lazina kafaru_, innal ka_firina ka_nu_ lakum 'duwwam mubina_(n).
4: 102
Pickthall And when thou (O Muhammad) art among them and arrangest (their) worship for them, let only a party of them stand with thee (to worship) and let them take their arms. Then when they have performed their prostrations let them fall to the rear and let another party come that hath not worshipped and let them worship with thee, and let them take their precaution and their arms. Those who disbelieve long for you to neglect your arms and your baggage that they may attack you once for all. It is no sin for you to lay aside your arms, if rain impedeth you or ye are sick. But take your precaution. Lo! Allah prepareth for the disbelievers shameful punishment.
Transliteration Wa iza_ kunta fihim fa aqamta lahumus sala_ta faltaqum ta_'ifatum minhum ma'aka walya'khuzu_ aslihatahum, fa iza_ sajadu_ falyaku_nu_ miw wara_'ikum, walta'ti ta_'fatun ukhra_ lam yusallu_ falyusallu_ ma'aka walya'khuzu_ hizrahum wa aslihatahum, waddal lazina kafaru_ lau tagfulu_na 'an aslihatikum wa amti'atikum fa yamilu_na 'alaikum mailataw wa_hidah(tan), wa la_ juna_ha 'alaikum in ka_na bikum azam mim matarin au kuntum marda_ an tada'u_ aslihatakum wa khuzu_ hizrakum, innalla_ha a'adda lilka_firina 'aza_banm muhina_(n).
4: 103
Pickthall When ye have performed the act of worship, remember Allah, standing, sitting and reclining. And when ye are in safety, observe proper worship. Worship at fixed hours hath been enjoined on the believers.
Transliteration Fa iza_ qadaitumus sala_ta fazkurulla_ha qiya_maw wa qu'u_daw wa 'ala_ junu_bikum, fa izatma'nantum fa aqimus sala_h(ta), innas sala_ta ka_nat 'alal mu'minina kita_bam mauqu_ta_(n).
4: 104
Pickthall Relent not in pursuit of the enemy. If ye are suffering, lo! they suffer even as ye suffer and ye hope from Allah that for which they cannot hope. Allah is ever Knower, Wise.
Transliteration Wa la_ tahinu_ fibtiga_'il qaum(i), in taku_nu_ ta'lamu_na fa innahum ya'lamu_na kama_ ta'lamu_n(a), wa taruju_na minalla_hi ma_ la_ yarju_n(a), wa ka_nalla_hu'aliman hakima_(n).
[[ Asad’s notes – 127 Lit., “the prayer”: a reference to the five obligatory daily prayers – at dawn, noon, afternoon, after sunset and late in the evening –which may shortened and combined (the noon prayer with that of the afternoon, and the sunset prayer with that of the late evening) if one is traveling or in actual danger. While the extension of this permission to peaceful travel has been authorized by the Prophet ‘s sunnah, the Quran mentions it only in connection with war situations; and this justifies the interpolation, in the opening sentence, of the words “to war”. The prayer described in the next verse – with the congregation praying in shifts – is called ‘salat al-khawf’ (“prayer in danger”).
[[ Ali’s notes - 617 Verse 101 gives permission to shorten four Rakat prayers when people are on a journey: verses 102-104 deal with cases when they are in danger at war, in face of the enemy. The shortening of prayers in both cases is further governed as to details by the practice of the Messenger and his Companions. As to journeys, two questions arise: (1) what constitutes a journey for this purpose? (2) is the fear of an attack an essential condition for the shortening of the prayers? As to (1), it is best to leave the matter to discretion, having regard to all the circumstances of the journey, as in the case of the journeys which excuse a fast: see ii. 184, n. 190. The text leaves it to discretion. As to (2), the practice of the Prophet shows that danger is not an essential condition; it is merely mentioned as a possible incident. The Messenger usually shortened the prayers from four Rakats to two Rakats in Zuhr (midday prayer), 'Asr (afternoon prayer) and Ishaa (night prayer): the other two are in any case short, Fajr (morning prayer) having two Rakats and Magrib (evening prayer) having three. (4.101)
618 The congregational prayer in danger in face of the enemy rests on the principle that the congregation should be divided into two parties; one party prays while the other watches the enemy, and then the second party comes up to prayers while the first falls back to face the enemy; either party does only one or two Rakats, or about half the congregational prayer; every precaution is taken to prevent a rush by the enemy; even while at prayers armour and arms need not be put off except when rain is likely to cause inconvenience to the wearer and damage to the arms, or when illness or fatigue causes the wearer's strength to fail. Details can be varied according to circumstances, as was actually done by the Prophet at different times. (4.102)
619 It means: "when ye have finished congregational prayers." It allows you to remember Allah individually in any posture possible during the danger. But when the danger is past, the full prayers should be offered at the stated times. (4.103)
620 Religion should be a source of strength and not of weakness in all our affairs. If we have to struggle hard and suffer hardships, those without faith have to do the same, with this difference, that the man of Faith is full of hope in Allah, whereas the man without Faith has nothing to sustain him. (4.104) ]]