Is it permissible for you to combine and shorten the Dhuhr prayer if you are returning from a school more than one hundred kilometers away, and you pray in a village more than twenty kilometers from your residence?

The jurists differed on determining the distance that permits availing oneself of travel concessions. The majority held that it is approximately eighty kilometers, while others were of the view that the reference point is custom ( urf ); thus, whatever is considered travel by custom is travel.

The Permanent Committee has issued a fatwa stating that the travel which permits concessions is what is considered travel by custom and is approximately 80 km. The traveler is permitted to shorten (qasr) and combine (jam‘) prayers, and to break the fast, unless he intends to stay for more than four days. However, if he does not specify the duration of his stay, he may avail himself of the concessions even if the period is extended.

Accordingly, if the time for Dhuhr prayer begins before you reach your town, you may shorten and combine Dhuhr and Asr prayers, with Asr being shortened, based on the opinion of the majority who defined travel by distance. However, according to those who refer the matter to custom, you are not permitted to shorten prayers because you are not considered travelers. As for combining prayers, you are permitted to combine them if there is hardship, otherwise not.