Hadith "Complete your prayers, for we are Travelling" Investigation and Study

Abstract

This research looks at the chain of narration for this Hadeeth. It has been narrated through two separate chains of narration: The first is Marfoo’ [i.e. it has a continuous chain of narration to the Prophet, may Allah praise him], The second is Mo’qoof [i.e. it has a chain of narration that stops at a Companion], This research closely examines the two narrations and grades them. The research also makes mention of the most important benefits that can be deduced from them, The researcher has concluded that the Moqoof narration is the authentic one; it is attributed to Umar, may Allah be pleased with him. As for the Marfoo’ narration, it is weak, because Ali bin Zaid bin Jad’an was the only one to narrate it from the Abu Damrah. Ali is deemed a weak narrator by the consensus of scholars. The researcher also clarified that the supporting narration, narrated by Yahya bin Abi Kathir, is a weak narration as well, because it is narrated by Yaseen Az-Zayat, and he is deemed an extremely weak narrator, The only authentic narration is the narration of Yahya bin Abi Kathir which is seconded by the narration of Malik bin Anas from the authority of Zaid bin Aslam who narrated it from his father who took it from Umar, may Allah be pleased with him. The researcher was able to verify that no scholar actually stated it was a Sunnah practice for a traveling Imam leading residents to say [at the end of the prayer] ‘A’tim’moo Salaata’kom fin’na Qo’mon Safr’ [i.e. complete your prayers, for we are travelling]. Perhaps, the most important recommendation from this research is the study of this narration, grading it and examining what benefits can be drawn from it. It is also important for universities to adopt research projects relative to acts of worship that clarify authentic narrations from weak ones.