What is better for a traveler in congregational prayer with non-travelers: to shorten the prayer or to complete it, whether he is an imam or a follower? And is it permissible for him to combine two prayers while shortening one and completing the other?
It is legislated for the traveler to shorten the four-rak'ah prayers (qasr) and to combine two prayers (jam') under certain conditions. Shortening the prayer is better for the traveler, whether he is an imam or a follower. Equating combining with shortening is an ignorance of the and the sayings of the scholars, because the Sunnah differentiated between them, and scholars agreed that one of them is a Sunnah.
If a traveler prays behind a resident imam, he must complete the prayer. However, he may combine 'Asr with Dhuhr and then shorten it, although it is generally better to forgo combining and perform each prayer at its appointed time.
If a traveler prays behind an imam who completes the prayer, he must complete the prayer. Then, if he wishes to combine the subsequent prayer, he should shorten it if he prays it alone.
Leaving the combining of prayers is better than combining, by performing each prayer at its appointed time.
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