Jamiatul Ulama KZN Council of Muslim Theologians
Nasihah (Advice): Do not travel alone at night
Sayyiduna Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar Radiyallahu Anhuma reported that Rasululallah (ﷺ) said, “Were people to know of what I know about the dangers of travelling alone, no rider would travel alone at night.” [Bukhari]
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Question and Answer:
- As salaam u Alaykum mufti. Please can you advise me. I stay in Umzinto. When I travel to Durban, I know I am NOT a Musaafir. But if I go to Gateway (Umhlanga) I am a Musaafir because of the distance. My question is what happens if I decide to go Durban and whilst I am in there, during the day I decide to go to Gateway (Umhlanga). Am I then Musaafir even though I had no intention of going to Umhlanga whilst I was in Umzinto? My reason for asking is that I heard from someone else that if I decide to go to Durban and later during the day I decide to go to Umhlanga, it’s a new trip and I am not Musaafir.
(Question published as received)
- A person who intends to travel a distance of 78 kilometres or more is regarded as a Musaafir (traveller) and all the laws of Safar will apply.
Hence, in the enquired situation, if you intended to travel from Umzinto to Umhlanga which is more than 78 kilometres, you would be categorized as a Musaafir (traveller). However, if you intended to travel from Umzinto to Durban (less than 78 kilometres), and after reaching Durban you decided to travel to Umhlanga, you will not be regarded as a Musaafir (traveller). This is because you did not intend to travel 78 kilometres or more.
However, when you intend to return to Umzinto from Umhlanga, you will now be regarded as a Musaafir (traveller) on your return journey, since you have intended to travel more than 78 kilometres. Thus if you stop in Durban or anywhere else enroute to Umzinto, you will shorten your Salaah.
In principle, every intention of travel is considered individually. Any other intended travel made thereafter will be calculated separately in determining whether one is Musaafir or not. (Tabyeenul Haqaaiq 1/209)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Mufti Muhammed Hamza Farooqui
Mufti Taahir Hansa
(The answer hereby given is specifically based on the question asked and should be read together with the question asked. Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh unless otherwise stated.)
Fatwa Department
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Council of Muslim Theologians
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