What are the differing opinions regarding shortening prayers during prolonged stays?
Chapter on the Traveler's Prayer
Al-Mughni
Book of Prayer
Primary text
Shafi'i permits shortening prayers unless the traveler intends to stay in the town for four full prayers (i.e., four days, implying the standard definition of residency). However, Shafi'i prefers completing the full prayers if the stay is long. Malik mandates completing prayers until the traveler departs to begin a subsequent journey. Al-Thawri holds a similar view to Malik.
Supporting text
A narration from Sa'd indicates inconsistency, as he sometimes shortened prayers and sometimes completed them when they stayed in a village in the Levant for forty nights. Ali (may God be pleased with him) stated that one shortens prayers if they say, 'I will depart today, or tomorrow,' even for a month. This suggests that the permissibility of shortening prayers has no strict upper limit, contrary to a potential interpretation that limits it to one month.