Hadith 590

Commentary

It is of course not allowed to form a habit of joining prayers in simulation (Jam' Suri). (Jam' Suri signifies the midday or the sunset prayer be postponed till its last moment, and to perform it in the last moment of its time and the next prayer i.e., the mid-afternoon or the late-evening prayer is offered in the early moments of its time.) In this way, both the prayers would be offered within their right times. This is known as Jam' Suri or simulative or apparent joining of two prayers. It could be resorted to in times of pressing need, as has occurred in some other transmissions of this Hadīth that the Prophet ﷺ combined his prayers because he did not want to put his nation to hardship. Otherwise, the five daily prayers ought to be performed separately. But combination should be simulative or apparent form of combination (Jam' Suri) so that no verse (of the Qur'ān) or Hadīth remains un-acted upon, and one remains protected from becoming apart from his companions, or solitary, and from becoming odd and different from others.