Is it permissible for residents of the Eastern Province to combine and shorten prayers when they travel to the State of Bahrain, despite the short distance (half an hour)?

The authoritative opinion (fatwa) in our view is that the distance considered for qualifying for travel concessions is four burd (approximately 83 kilometers). If the distance is less than that, it is not considered travel.

Some scholars, however, are of the opinion that what matters is common practice (urf), so whatever people customarily consider travel is indeed travel. This is the view preferred by Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen, may Allah have mercy on him, who considered a person traveling from the Eastern Province to Bahrain (approximately 25 kilometers) a traveler. He based this on the Almighty's saying: "And when you travel throughout the land, there is no blame upon you for shortening the prayer," and that the reference point for this is what is customarily called travel among people.

Accordingly, a traveler from the Eastern Province to Bahrain is permitted to avail themselves of all travel concessions, such as shortening the prayer, breaking the fast in Ramadan, and wiping over socks or leather slippers for three days.