By: The eminent sheikh Abu ‘Ubaidah Mashhoor bin Hasan Al-Salman

Praise be to Allah I and blessings , honor and prayers be upon Allah 's messenger u , his household , his companions and all those who follow his guidance and his example in doing Salat till the day of Din . Allah I said : “ "يوم لا ينفع مال ولا بنون إلا من أتى الله بقلب سليم . Meaning : “ The Day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail , Except him who brings to Allah a clean heart [ clean from shirk and nifaq ].” [Ash-Shu'ara : 88] .

To proceed ,

People often keep repeating the statement that says : ‘Joining between two Salats is permissible only when it is raining or the land is wet’ whenever the Imam (leader of Salat ) intends to join between two Salats on coldy , cloudy whether .However , the ‘Athar narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas – via numerous ways of narrators – regarding this point is the decisive point in understanding the issue of joining between tow Salats on such days whereon joining is a necessity due to the whether . These ways are the following :

1. Abiz Zubair  Al-Makki related from Ibn Abbas to have said : ‘ Allah’s messenger combined   the Thuhr Salat with the ‘Asr Salat  and the Magrib Salat with ‘Isha’ Salat without being in astate of fear or on ajourney’. [ Malik’s Muwatta’ 1/44/4, Sahih Muslim 1/489] .
In his Muwatta’ , Imam Malik commented saying : ‘ I believe that this combination was due to  rainfall’. The Imam raises a doubt at this point .
Abuz Zubair  Al-Makki  then asked Sa’eed Ibn Jubair : “ Why did the prophet u do that ?”
Sa’eed answered : “ He does not want to put any of his Ummah into difficulty”.

2. Another narration – traced back to Habib Ibn Abi Thabit narrated by Muslim ( 1/ 489) and Al-Baihaqi ( 3/ 166) –runs as follow :
“Allah’s messenger ucombined the Thuhr Salat with the ‘Asr Salat and the Maghrib Salat with the ‘Isha’ Salat without being in a state of fear or rainfall”.

3. A third narration related by Jabir Ibn Zaid states : “ Allah’s messenger u joined between the Thuhr and the ‘Asr Salats and between the Maghrib Salat and the ‘Isha’ Salat in Al- Madinah  without without being in a state of fear or rainfall”. This ‘Athar is documented by Imam Ahmad who stated that it meets Imam Bukhari’s and Imam Muslim’s condition of Sahih Hadith .

4. ‘Amru Ibn Harm related that Ibn ‘Abbas joined between the Thuhr and ‘Asr Salats due to being busy . And Ibn ‘Abbas  stated that  he performed the Thuhr and ‘Asr Salats with Allah’s messenger u in Al-Madinah combined togethor”. The phrase “combined togethor” means  being in a state of residense not of travelling . And  there is no mention of rain; instead it mentions “being busy” . [ Narrated by An Nasa’i : ( 1/286) stating that it meets with Imam Muslim’s condition of Sahih  hadiths ].

5. Another narration related by ‘Amru Ibn Dinar  states  that ‘ the prophet  u  performed  Salat in Al-Madinah seven and eight Rak’as ; the Thuhr with the ‘Asr Salats and the Maghrib with the ‘Isha’ Salats’. [ Narrated by : Al-Bukhari ( 1/146) and Muslim ( 1/ 491)].
The question is :Which of the aforementioned narrations is to be preponderated ??
The narration that states “ without being in a state of fear or rainfall” should be preponderated over the one that includes      “ nor being on a journey (or travelling )” for the following reasons :

1. Habib Ibn Abi Thabit is a narrator the narrations of whom both Imams Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated .
2. Abuz Zubair Al- Makki’s narrations are narrated by Imam Muslim only .
3. The reason Ibn Abbas mentioned in his ‘athar ; “ Heu dors not want to put any of his Ummah into difficulty” , is a hard evidence  on the reason behind the prophet’s combination being not due to rainfall. Ibn ‘Abbas’ ascertanty enjoys stronger state than Imam Malik’s doubt – as is mentioned earlier .

To conclude , combination between two Salats could be done due to coldy , ,snowy , or windy weather  and when streats are muddy . It could be even practiced due to the general need and when necessity or hardship arises even to those who live nearby the mosque . It is also affirmed that Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal considered joining between two Salats due to being busy as permissible and restricted his opinion with Abi Ya’lah’s statement -  which was related by shaikhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah 924/280 , may Allah  Y shower their souls with mercy ,- that says : “ If one is so busy that one is allowed not to attend the Jumu’ah and the congregational Salat in the mosque , one may do Salat in combination.” Imam Ahmad also considered it pemissible that the one who goes to the mosque through a way that is sheltered to join between Salats in the mosque ( with the Imam ) since it is related that the prophet u joined between two Salats due to rainfall in the mosque though his room and the mosque were connected together.
The last of their invocations “is all praise is due to Allah , the Rabb of the Alamin”.