Injunctions Pertaining to the Traveller
by Shaykh Mufti Inam Haq Qasmi Translated by Mufti Afzal Hoosen Elias
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
Author’s Forward
As I was completing a tour a few years ago, I travelled a long distance to meet my father at the place where he worked. It was as he prepared to embark on a journey when a controversy arose. He quoted an Aalim who stated that the Shar’i injunctions applicable to the traveller (Musaafir) should be applied as soon as the Musaafir formulates the intention to travel from his place of residence. According to him, it is compulsory for a person to abridge his salaah (called Qasr salaah) immediately upon formulating the intention, even though he is still in his hometown.
This is, of course, incorrect and I had to interject by saying that the laws pertaining to the traveller do not apply by merely formulating the intention to travel. Qasr salaah may only be performed once the Musaafir leaves the boundaries of his town after deciding to travel a distance exceeding 88.864 km. Similarly, all other injunctions pertinent to the Musaafir will apply only after he leaves the boundaries of his town.
Once the controversy was settled, it occurred to me whether any book is available wherein all the injunctions pertaining to the Musaafir are compiled and discussed in a thorough manner like the books of Islaamic jurisprudence, which begin from the Chapter of Physical Purity (Tahaarah) and conclude with the Chapter of Freeing Slaves. A search for such a book yielded no results. I repeatedly made the intention to fulfil this task and there were countless occasions when the pen was pushed hard to move. This compilation was finally completed under four hundred headings using Arabic works of jurisprudence and the invaluable writings of our pious predecessors.
In the course of writing, many injunctions have been omitted and I may have erred on numerous occasions. I therefore seek Allaah’s forgiveness for this and implore Allaah’s bondsmen to overlook these iniquities and to offer their kind advice.
A SPECIAL WORD OF THANKS: It would be extremely ungrateful on my part if I do not express my heartfelt thanks to Maulana Radhi Aalam Simsiti (Daamat Barakaatuh). It was his zest for research that drew me to him and he was extremely helpful in locating references and checking manuscripts.
Muhammad In’aamul Haqq Daarul Uloom Azeezia Mumbai India
The Etiquette of a Journey
Etiquette and good manners are those factors of a human’s life that beatify is character. These create within an individual a sparkling beauty and a pleasant social disposition. It is for this reason that the Shari’ah of Islaam offers guidance in the etiquette regarding every aspect of a human’s life. There is not a single aspect of life that the Shari’ah has overlooked when it concerns a person’s life as a Musaafir (traveller) or as a Muqeem (non-traveller/resident). In this booklet we will only discuss those etiquette that pertain to the life of a Musaafir.
Imaam Ghazaali (A.R) has stated that before embarking on a journey, the Musaafir should first fulfil all the rights he owes to his family with regard to their maintenance. He should also discharge any trusts in his possession and settle any debts he owes. He must ensure that all matters are taken care of in an amicable manner and that he only takes along with him provisions that are acquired through Halaal sources.
According to Hadhrat Abdullaah bin Umar (R.A), the signs of a respectable person are:
> The provisions for his journey are Halaal.
> His manner of speech along the journey is sweet.
> He treats his companions well.
> He allows others to join him in meals according to his financial capacity.
> He assists his travelling companions as much as possible. These are all traits of a good Musaafir.
During the course of a journey, a person will experience many moments of pleasure and leisure whereby the strain of the journey and the yearning for home is lessened. However, one should be cautious that that these moments of pleasure do not let him lose his reins on reality and sobriety, thereby allowing the prickly thorns of ill tempered words to injure the heart.
