Lots of evidences support the view which An-Nawaw? supported. For more details on the refutation of the view that permits one shortens Sal?t only when night starts, see “Naylul Awt?r” (vol. 3 / p. 251). These evidences which support An-Nawaw?’s view are narrated in “Sah?hul Bukh?r?”, chapter: “One does shortening when one leaves one’s place” (1) [i.e. town], “Adw?’ul Bay?n” (vol. 1 / p. 371), “Irw?’ul Ghal?l” (no. 563), “Silsilatul Ah?d?this Sah?hah” (no. 163) and “Al-Muhall?” (vol. 5 / p. 2).

To conclude, shortening Sal?t starts from the moment one leaves one’s residence, be it a village, a town, tents, ... etc. and this does not entail that one must do shortening after one leaves behind any building one may pass by during his travel which may extend thousands of miles -as some held. All?h ( - عز وجل -) knows best. (2)

In case two villages are so close that their buildings are connected to each other, then both are considered as one area. However, if they are close but their buildings are separate; they are considered as two separate villages. (3) If one travels from one of them, he may shorten Sal?t even if one happens to pass by many other villages.

[In travel] Niyyah is to be taken into consideration not one’s deed. If one travels from his residence area intending to cover a far distance, one may shorten Sal?t. If it happens that one changes his mind and wants to return back home, one may not shorten the Sal?t unless one’s way back home is too long and the Salaw?t one had shortened earlier are valid. This is Ahmad’s view.

In case one travels to an unknown direction -seeking a fugitive slave of his or looking for grass [as bedouins do], one may not shorten Sal?t even if his travel took several days. (4)