Hadith 32

(The book) ‘Al Ilal’ – from his father, from Sa’ad Bin Abdullah, from Ahmad Bin Abu Abdullah Al Barqy, and from Muhammad Bin Musa Bin Al Mutawakkil, from Ali Bin Al-Husayn Al Sa’adabady, from Al Barqy, from Muhammad Bin Ali Al Kufi, from Muhammad Bin Aslam Al Jabaly, from Sabbah Al Haza’a, from Is’haq Bin Ammar who said, ‘I asked Abu Al-Hassan Musa Bin Ja’far-asws about a group going out in a journey. When they end up to the place which the shortening is obligated upon them, then shorten. When they come to the top of two Farsakh’s, or three, or four Farsakh’s, a man from them stays back from them, the journey is no longer straight for them except by his coming to them. So they stay upon that for days, not knowing whether they should continue in their journey or disperse. ‘Is it befitting for them to pray the complete Salat or to be staying upon their shortening? ’
He-asws said: ‘If they had reached a travel distance of four Farsakh’s, let them stay upon their shortening (of Salat), whether they stay or leave; and if they had travelled less than four Farsakh’s, let them pray the complete Salat for as long as they say. When they continue, let them shorten’. Then he-asws said: ‘And do you know how it came to be like this? ’
I said, ‘I don’t know’. He-asws said: ‘Because the shortening is in two ‘Bareeds’ and the shortening cannot happen in less than that. When they had travelled a ‘Bareed’ and intended to leave for a ‘Bareed’, they would have travelled a journey of the shortening; and if they had travelled less than that, it cannot be for them except to pray the complete Salat’’. I said, ‘Hadn’t they reached the place which they could not hear the Azaan of their city which they had emerged from? ’
He-asws said: ‘Yes, but rather they should shorten (Salat) in that place because they did not face hardship in their travel, and even if the travel was strenuous with them in the journey. When the reason came regarding their staying less than the ‘Bareed’, they came to be like this’’. [47]