Shaikhul Isl?m Ibn Tayimyyah and his pupil Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah also held this view (1) long before Ash-Shawk?n? and As-San‘?n?.

[2/ 66] Some consider a certain length of a distance as a precondition for the validity of shortening and combining between the Salaw?t. The ‘Ulamah differed a lot regarding this length to twenty views. The soundest of all these views -according to well-versed amongst them- is the one which states that a travel is that which is known by custom to be a travel according to people and on which travel rulings are applied. This is indeed of Isl?m’s easiness for if this distance is to be limited to a certain number of days travel or any other criterion; people would have to know the distances they are going to pass during their travel and this is indeed a hardship for them since many people do not have the ability to do so especially when passing through untrodden roads. (2)

Ash-Shanq?t? said: ‘The soundest of all opinions, I believe, is the one that states that whatever is called a travel -no mater how short it is- Sal?t should be shortened in it for the word “travel” in the Shar‘ texts is general’. (3)

Limiting the distance need a Shar‘ text and no access in it for opinions.

To conclude,

Combination between Salaw?t could be done by every person who is habitually called a traveler -whether the distance covered is short or long. The traditional travel is the one which is similar in its state to that which was done during the prophet’s ( - ) time- as As-San‘?n? stated and hence, the falsehood of the view that prohibits doing shortening Sal?t when one travels without having passports claiming that the habit nowadays is to travel using them!!

Indeed, to All?h ( - عز وجل -) we complain [of the ignorance of people]. (4)

[3/ 66] It is worth mentioning here that shortening of Sal?t starts from the moment one leaves his town and this is the Jumh?r’s view.

As-Sahnq?t? said: ‘A traveler starts shortening his Salaw?t from the moment he totally leaves the twon. One must not do shortening if one is still in his home or town. This is the Jumh?r’s, the four A’immah’s, and most of the Fuqah?’s view. It is affirmed that the prophet ( - ) did shortening of Salaw?t when reaching Thul Hulaifah. Im?m M?lik [affirmed the same meaning and] said: ‘When there are inhabited orchards in the town [from which one wants to travel], one must not do shortening till one passes them’. The Jumh?r’s view is based on the precondition [stated in the ?yah] which is “Ad-Darbu Fil Ard”, i.e. traveling, and whoever is not out of his residence area is not considered in a state of travel’. (5)

An-Nawaw? stated the same and added: ‘ ... except a weak narration traced back to Im?m M?lik to have said that ‘one must not do shortening till one covers a three mile distance’. It was also narrated that ‘At?’ and some of Ibn Mas‘?d’s followers held the view that ‘one may do shortening before getting out from one’s town’. Muj?hid was narrated to have said: ‘One may not do shortening on the day of his travel till night begins’.

All of the aforementioned narrations contradict the Sunnah and the unanimous agreement of the Salaf and those who followed them’. (6)