The Details of Watn Asli, Watn Iqaamah and Safar in Terms of the Shari'ah

Q: Salaah-263: I am a resident of the Pareej in the Baruch district and my Parents still live there. I am currently working in Soungar in the Surat district, which is about a hundred miles away. I plan to stay here for two years and am renting a house here. My question is that since I often have to travel more than 48 miles out on government business, I return to Soungar where I perform Qasr salaah for three to four days before leaving again. For example, if I return to Surat on the 20th of June 1968. will I be correct if I perform Qasr salaah from the 22nd to the 25th ?

Answer: When you have not left Pareej to make Soungar your Watn Asli (place of permanent residence), then Pareej will remain your Watn Asli and soungar will be your Watn lqaamah (place of temporary residence). Nurul Idhaa (Pg.109) defines the Watn Asli as a place where one was born or Where one (a woman) is married and where one intends living without moving out. The Watn lqaamah is the place where one merely intends to stay for a period of half a month or more.

Therefore, when you leave for Soungar, you will become a Musaafir and you will remain a Musaafir until you make the intention to stay fifteen or more days at any place. When you return to Soungar and do not have the intention to stay fifteen or more days, you will perform Qasr salaah there.

Fatawa Rahimiyyah vol.2