on a mount according to our Imam, al-Layth, al-Hasan ibn Hayy (2), al-Awza'i, al-Shafi'i, and the scholars of opinion (Ashab al-Ra'y). Malik said: It is not permitted except on a long journey, because it is a concession granted for travel, so it is restricted to long journeys like the shortening of prayer. Our argument is the saying of Allah the Exalted: {And to Allah belong the east and the west, so wherever you turn, there is the Face of Allah} (3). Ibn 'Umar said: This verse was revealed specifically concerning voluntary prayer, wherever your mount turns you (4). This is general and applies, by its generality, to the point of contention. From Ibn 'Umar, it is narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to perform the Witr prayer on his camel. In another narration: He used to perform voluntary prayer on the back of his mount wherever it faced, gesturing with his head. Ibn 'Umar used to do this. Both are agreed upon (5). Al-Bukhari added: '...except for the obligatory prayers.' And in Muslim and Abu Dawud: '...except that he did not pray the prescribed [obligatory] prayer upon it.' He did not distinguish between a short and a long journey, and that is because the permissibility of prayer on a mount is a mitigation regarding voluntary prayer, so as not to lead to its abandonment or reduction, and this is the same for both long and short journeys. Shortening [the prayer] and breaking the fast account for hardship, which is generally found only in long journeys. Al-Qadi said: The rulings in which both long and short journeys are equal
(2) He is al-Hasan ibn Salih ibn Hayy, and he was mentioned previously in 1/329. (3) Surah al-Baqarah 115. (4) Tafsir al-Tabari 2/530. See its verification (takhrij) in its footnote. (5) The first [hadith]: Collected by al-Bukhari, in: Chapter on the Witr on a mount, from the Book of Witr. Sahih al-Bukhari 2/31, 32. And Muslim, in: Chapter on the permissibility of praying supererogatory prayer on a mount while traveling wherever it turns, from the Book of the Traveler's Prayer. Sahih Muslim 1/487. It was also collected by Abu Dawud, in: Chapter on voluntary prayer on a mount and the Witr. Sunan Abi Dawud 1/279. Al-Nasa'i, in: Chapter on the Witr on a mount, from the Book of Night Prayer. Al-Mujtaba 3/190. Ibn Majah, in: Chapter on what has come regarding the Witr on a mount, from the Book of Establishing Prayer. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/379. Al-Darimi, in: Chapter on the Witr on a mount, from the Book of Prayer. Sunan al-Darimi 1/373. Imam Ahmad, in: Chapter on the command for Witr, from the Book of Night Prayer. Al-Muwatta' 1/124. Imam Ahmad, in: al-Musnad 2/7, 57, 138. The second [hadith]: Collected by al-Bukhari, in: Chapter on dismounting for the prescribed prayer, and Chapter on whoever performs voluntary prayer in travel other than immediately after the prayer..., from the Book of Shortening Prayer. Sahih al-Bukhari 2/56, 57. And Muslim, in: Chapter on the permissibility of praying supererogatory prayer on a mount while traveling wherever it turns. Sahih Muslim 1/487. It was also collected by al-Nasa'i, in: Chapter on the condition in which it is permissible to face other than the Qiblah, from the Book of Prayer and the Qiblah. Al-Mujtaba 1/196, 197, 2/48. And Imam Ahmad, in: al-Musnad 2/132. Regarding the narration of 'Amir ibn Rabi'ah, it was collected by al-Darimi, in: Chapter on prayer on a mount, from the Book of Prayer. Sunan al-Darimi 1/356. And Imam Ahmad, in: al-Musnad 3/446.
