If its hard to pray, can I combine prayers ?

[Islam!!yay]

Salam

So lets say if you are going somewhere and you you are not going to be home early can I combine prayers ?

 

[Hassan]

wa alaikum asalaam

First question, in shaa Allah:
Do you mean going to another town so you might be considered a traveller, or just going somewhere nearby but still in your hometown?

 

[Janaan]

First, is this question being asked by a female or male? Because men should always strive to pray in the Masaajid in jamaa`ah and not at home like the women.

Second, the combining of the prayer can only be done in very few, special circumstances such as when travelling, or because of sickness or istihaadah (non-menstrual bleeding) or because of fear for oneself, or because of heavy rain or, as you'll see in very recent fataawa, if there's an exam at school that cannot be missed.

So if you're going somewhere (not too far as I gathered from your words), and it is possible for you to offer you prayers, without combining them and on time on your way there, then do so, akhy.
Plan ahead and take a prayer rug with you. If you're driving, stop the car somewhere and offer it. If you're on a bus, or train and you won't reach your destination on time for prayer then pray sitting or in the isles. If you're attending some event, step out for a few minutes and pray. People have done all these, it's possible.
But just make sure you offer your prayers on time. As Allaah wa jalla said, "Verily, As‑Salaah (the prayer) is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours” [an-Nisaa’:103].

However, if I've misunderstood you and you'll actually be "traveling", they yes you can join them.
http://islamqa.info/en/ref/49885

And I put travel in quotations because I wanted to share this fatwa by shaykh `Uthaymeen (rahimahullaah) about when a journey counts as traveling:

Some of the scholars (may Allaah have mercy on them) think that travelling is defined by a distance between 81 and 83 km or more. Some think that travelling is defined by ‘urf (local custom), so that whatever is customarily regarded as travelling is travelling, even if it is to a place that is close, and whatever is not regarded as travelling – i.e. it is not called travelling – is not travelling. This was the view favoured by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him), and it is more correct from the point of view of the evidence (daleel), but it is difficult to apply, because one person may regard a trip as travelling whilst another does not. The definition based on distance is more precise and is clearer to people. If it is agreed that a trip counts as travelling based on both distance and ‘urf, there is no need for debate. If there is a difference between distance and ‘urf, then a person should act in accordance whatever is on the safe side.

I’laam al-Musaafireen bi Ba’d Aadaab wa Ahkaam al-Safar wa maa yakhuss al-Mallaaheen al-Jawwiyyeen by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen, p. 5

 

[Tabassum07]

I would just like to add ukhti Janaan, that scholars say it isn't permissable to pray sitting if one can stand.
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The Standing Committee was asked: (8/126): Is it permissible to pray sitting in the plane even though one is able to stand, because one feels shy?
They replied: It is not permissible to pray sitting in the plane or elsewhere if one is able to stand, because of the general meaning of the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning): “And stand before Allaah with obedience” [al-Baqarah 2:238]. And it is narrated in Saheeh al-Bukhaari from ‘Imraan ibn Husayn that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to him: “Pray standing, and if you cannot, then sitting, and if you cannot, then on your side.” Al-Nasaa'i added with a saheeh isnaad: “and if you cannot then lying on your back.” End quote.
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[Tabassum07]

Brother Islam-yay, I know you don't like long copy and paste answers, so I've done my best to shorten this:

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It is permissible for the person who is not travelling to combine two prayers if it will be too difficult for him to perform the second prayer on time. Permission to join prayers is broader than permission to shorten them, because shortening them is allowed only to travelers, but both travelers and non-travellers are permitted to join prayers when it will be difficult to perform the second prayer, whether on time or in congregation.

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed Zuhr and ‘Asr together in Madeenah, at a time when there was no fear and he was not travelling. Abu’l-Zubayr said: I asked Sa’eed [i.e., ibn Jubayr], Why did he do that? He said, I asked Ibn ‘Abbaas the same question, and he said, He did not want anyone among his ummah to suffer hardship.
Narrated by Muslim, 705.

With regard to joining prayers, the reason for it is if there is a need or an excuse. So if a person needs to do so, he may join prayers whilst travelling, whether he is travelling a long distance or a short one, and he may join prayers because of rain etc., or because of sickness etc., or for any other reason, because the point is to spare the Muslims any difficulty or hardship.
http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/20017/join prayers reason
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Brother, I suppose you yourself would be the best judge to know whether a certain situation would be difficult or easy for you. The ruling surmises that if you are going somewhere, and if there is a chance you could have prayed easily at that particular place too (such as out shopping or school or work) then you should pray on time. If you can't find any place to pray at all while going out and its really difficult for you, then you can join prayers.

 

[Janaan]

I would just like to add ukhti Janaan, that scholars say it isn't permissable to pray sitting if one can stand.

Jazaakillaahu khayran, ukht. I forgot to add "if you're not able to stand".

 

[Islam!!yay]

sorry I was away but thank you all for answering and May Allah SWT Bless you all

Ramadan Kareem

 

[Mahzala]

Second, the combining of the prayer can only be done in very few, special circumstances such as when travelling, or because of sickness or istihaadah (non-menstrual bleeding) or because of fear for oneself, or because of heavy rain or, as you'll see in very recent fataawa, if there's an exam at school that cannot be missed.

SubhanAllah, that has been granted? Morally one can argue that the same outcome of those exams are dependant on those prayers, so how can one not perform them at their due time? How important can such an exam be? Brings to mind my undergraduate exams, they were conducted in big lecture halls which hosted about 500 students, and Alhamdulillah my friends and I, may Allah grant us acceptance, were often faced with the unfortunate timing of Maghrib being right in the middle of our exam ... no leeway whatsoever, and so we would, a group of us, stand there, behind our chairs, praying Maghrib. And it was those exams that brought some of my non-practicing Muslim friends close to performing some of their prayers. The, and their, enthusiasm, I'll never forget. Allah strengthen our fervour for our Deen and grant us courage to conduct ourselves accordingly and the knowledge to amend our hierarchy of priorities.