Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

As Salamualikum,

If one is in travel in Publc transport like (Plane, Train or Bus), I know it is applicable to do their obligatory prayers in their seat.

But my doubt is, if we are not in "Ozhu" and we can't expect the water facility in Public transports what should one do in that situation??

Will it be ok for him to do the prayer even if he is not in "Ozhu" ? or is there any alternate way of doing ?

Pls Clarify.

JazakAllah.

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Answer:

How to offer wudu and prayer in vehicle car plane

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.393         Narrated by Jabir

Allah's Messenger (saws) used to pray (optional, non-obligatory prayer) while riding on his mount (Rahila) wherever it turned, and whenever he wanted to pray the obligatory (fard) prayer, he (saws) dismounted and prayed facing the Qibla.

Dear and beloved brother, it is permissible in Shariah to offer one’s voluntary (Sunnah or Nafl) prayers whilst moving on a mount or in a vehicle, but when one wishes to offer one’s obligatory (fard) prayers and has the physical ability to do so, one must dismount from their vehicle and offer their prayers.

If one is traveling in a vehicle like a car over which one has complete control, and one fears one would not reach their destination before the prayer time elapses, one should stop their vehicle, get down, and offer their obligatory prayers facing the Qibla.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.67

Allah the Exalted has conferred a special blessing upon this Muslim Ummah - that is, the whole earth has been declared a mosque for it. Therefore, when the time for prayer comes, a Muslim may pray wherever he may be. Abu Dharr al-Ghaffari reports that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "Wherever you may be at the time of salah, you may pray for it [the earth] is all a mosque."

Related by Bukhari and Muslim.

But if one is travelling in a public transport vehicle like a plane, or a train, or even a bus, where one is not in control of the vehicle, the scholars and jurists in Islam have opined that since stopping that vehicle and getting off is not an option, one may offer even their obligatory prayers from their seats….it is expected that they will find their Lord Forgiving and Merciful and accept their worship if He so Wills.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 64 Surah Taghabun verse 16::

16      So fear Allah as much as ye can.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 23 Surah Muminoon verse 62:

62      On no soul do We place a burden greater than it can bear: before Us is a Record which clearly shows the Truth: they will never be wronged.

Your Question: ….But my doubt is, if we are not in "Ozhu" and we can't expect the water facility in Public transports what should one do in that situation?? Will it be ok for him to do the prayer even if he is not in "Ozhu" ? or is there any alternate way of doing ?

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 6:

6        O ye who believe! When ye prepare for prayer wash your faces and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles.  If ye are in a state of ceremonial impurity bathe your whole body.  But if ye are ill or on a journey or one of you cometh from offices of nature or ye have been in contact with women and ye find no water then take for yourselves clean sand or earth and rub therewith your faces and hands.  Allah doth not wish to place you in a difficulty but to make you clean and to complete His favor to you that ye may be grateful.

Respected brother, to be in the state of purity and ‘wudu’ is an absolutely obligatory pre-condition for one to be eligible to offer their prayers.  A prayer of one who is not in the state of purity and ‘wudu’ is absolutely unacceptable to Allah Subhanah.

If one is travelling by plane or train, there are obviously water facilities in such vehicles of transport; thus one should perform the ‘wudu’ and only then offer their prayers.  If one is travelling by bus or car, then one should stop at a place where they can access water, do the ‘wudu’ and then perform the prayer. 

If one is travelling on a bus or a car or even a train, and one has absolutely no access to any water facility to perform their ‘wudu’, one has the lawful option of doing ‘tayammum’ with pure sand or earth whereby they should stamp their hands in the sand or earth, and lightly rub their fingers over their face and over their hands upto their wrists. They would now be considered to be in the state of ‘wudu’ and would thus be eligible to offer their prayers.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan