If someone’s job involves travel...

If someone’s job involves travel, such as a driver, or their work entails frequent travel, they should say their prayer in full. * What about, say, a businessman, a student, or an employee who live in a town, more than twenty two kilometres away from their respective place of work or university, and need to cover that distance, more or less, on daily basis? - They must say their prayer in full (tamam). 6. Those who have no permanent abode, such as roving tourist, should say their prayer in full.

* If, during the journey, it was time for prayer, yet I did not say prayer there and then, until I returned to my hometown, what sort of prayer should I say? - You should say your prayer in full. * And if it was the other way round, i.e. I was in my hometown when it was time for prayer but could not say it there and then, and set out on a journey that qualifies for the minimum distance of forty four kilometres? - You should say your prayer qasr.

* Some times, I see a group of believers say prayer collectively. - Yes, this is called congregational prayer (salatul jamaa’). * How is it said? - If there are two or more people, they can conduct congregational prayer. The important requirement here is that the person who is going to lead the prayer (imam) must fulfil certain conditions. Those taking part in congregational prayer shall receive added thawab (reward from God). * Does this mean that conducting it is a mustahab act?

●Yes, particularly when the imam is a learned man. Also, the more people were praying congregationally, the more thawab there will be for them. * You mentioned the qualifications that must be present in the person who lead the prayer. What are they? - He must be adult, sane, devout, just, and not rebellious against the injunctions of God; he should also be of a legitimate birth, and male, where the worshippers are male.

* What is the criterion of identifying a person with these qualities so that I could pray behind them? - Their appearance should suggest that. * Are there any other conditions that the imam must meet? - Yes, [It is imperative that he was not convicted according to the Islamic penal code]. He must be able-bodied so that he can execute the movements of prayer in full, especially when the person who is praying behind him is able-bodied too.

As far as the direction of the qiblah is concerned, both the imam and the person praying behind him should be in agreement as to its right direction.

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