Travel Calculation

Question:

Is there anything on the distance of safr being calculated from the border of one's city or from one’s house? This is regarding the calculation of distance, not where qasr should be done from. Answer: ﺑﺴﻢ اﷲ اﻟﺮﺣﻤﻦ اﻟﺮﺣﯿﻢ In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

The correct way of calculating the distance of safar (journey) is to check the distance between one’s current location (e.g. one’s house) and the intended destination. If the total distance reaches 55 miles, it would be considered safar (travel) distance. However, one will pray qasr when they pass the city limits. For example, someone intends to travel from their home to Sacramento, CA. The distance between their home (that is located in another city) and Sacramento is 55 miles, therefore they would be regarded as a traveler as soon as they cross their city limits and would pray qasr even though the distance between the border of their city and Sacramento is only 40 miles. )اﻟﺴﻔﺮ اﻟﺬي ﺗﺘﻐﯿﺮ ﺑﻪ اﻷﺣﻜﺎم( : ﻛﻘﺼﺮ اﻟﺼﻼة، وإﺑﺎﺣﺔ اﻟﻔﻄﺮ، واﻣﺘﺪاد ﻣﺪة اﻟﻤﺴﺢ، وﺳﻘﻮط اﻟﺠﻤﻌﺔ واﻟﻌﯿﺪﯾﻦ، واﻷﺿﺤﯿﺔ، وﺣﺮﻣﺔ ﺧﺮوج اﻟﻤﺮأة ﺑﻐﯿﺮ ﻣﺤﺮم )أن ﯾﻘﺼﺪ اﻹﻧﺴﺎن ﻣﻮﺿﻌﺎ ﺑﯿﻨﻪ( : أي ﺑﯿﻦ اﻟﻘﺎﺻﺪ )وﺑﯿﻦ ﻣﻘﺼﺪه ﻣﺴﯿﺮة ﺛﻼﺛﺔ أﯾﺎم وﻟﯿﺎﻟﯿﻬﺎ(اﻟﻠﺒﺎب ﻓﻲ ﺷﺮح اﻟﻜﺘﺎب: ج. ,1 ص. 105 اﻟﻨﺎﺷﺮ: اﻟﻤﻜﺘﺒﺔ اﻟﻌﻠﻤﯿﺔ، ﺑﯿﺮوت Safar Key Masaail Ka Encyclopedia: v. 2, p. 134-135 (Baytul Ammar Karachi); Ahsanul Fatawa: v. 4, p. 95 (HM Saeed Company)

Only Allah knows best

Written by Maulana Mohammad Ahsan Osmani Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham