Qasr (قصر) means "shortening". In fiqh it refers to a traveller praying the four-rak'ah obligatory prayers, Dhuhr, Asr and Isha, as two rak'ahs each. Fajr stays two rak'ahs and Maghrib stays three. Every Sunni madhab and Shia Ja'fari fiqh accept qasr. They differ on the details: how far you must travel, how long you can stay, and whether shortening is obligatory or optional.
The evidence for qasr
The Qur'an permits shortening the prayer for those who travel:
وَإِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَقْصُرُوا مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ
"When you travel through the land, there is no blame on you for shortening the prayer…" (Surah al-Nisa, 4:101)
The verse goes on to mention fear of attack. Ya'la ibn Umayyah asked Umar ibn al-Khattab why people still shortened when they were now safe. Umar said he had wondered the same and asked the Prophet ﷺ, who replied that it is a charity Allah has given, so accept His charity. The report is in Sahih Muslim. It is the basis for shortening on every journey, in safety as well as danger.
A'ishah reported that the prayer was first made obligatory as two rak'ahs, then kept as two for travel and increased for the resident (Bukhari and Muslim). The Prophet ﷺ consistently shortened on his journeys, including the Farewell Hajj.
Which prayers are shortened
| Prayer | At home | While travelling |
|---|---|---|
| Fajr | 2 | 2 |
| Dhuhr | 4 | 2 |
| Asr | 4 | 2 |
| Maghrib | 3 | 3 |
| Isha | 4 | 2 |
Only the fard (obligatory) prayer is shortened. Sunnah and nafl prayers are never shortened; they are either prayed as usual or left, depending on the school. The Hanafi witr remains three rak'ahs.
Is shortening obligatory?
This is one of the biggest differences between the schools:
- Hanafi and Shia Ja'fari: qasr is obligatory for the traveller. Praying four deliberately is sinful for Hanafis and invalidates the prayer in Ja'fari fiqh.
- Maliki: qasr is a confirmed sunnah.
- Shafi'i and Hanbali: qasr is a concession (rukhsah). Shortening is better, but praying in full is valid.
The three questions that decide your prayer
Is the journey long enough?
Each school sets a minimum distance, from about 43 km in Shia fiqh to about 92 km in the Barelvi Hanafi reckoning. Our guide to safar distances explains where these numbers come from.
Have you left your town?
Qasr starts only once you have passed the last buildings of your town, and the distance is counted from there. See where travel begins.
How long will you stay?
An intention to stay long enough makes you a resident at your destination: 15 days for Hanafis, 10 days in Shia fiqh, and around 4 days for the other Sunni schools. Read more about long and uncertain stays.
Other traveller's concessions
Qasr comes with related rulings. Most schools allow combining prayers on a journey, though Hanafis do not. A traveller may postpone Ramadan fasts and make them up later, and in Shia fiqh the traveller must not fast. In the Sunni schools, wiping over leather socks (khuffs) is allowed for three days and nights instead of one.
To see how these rules apply to a real trip, enter it in the qasr calculator.