How to Pray Correctly on a Bus, Train, Plane or Boat, Explains Mufti Didar Hossain

For everyday needs, many people have to travel by bus, train, launch, ship or aeroplane. When prayer time arrives during a journey, many wonder how prayer should be performed on a moving vehicle. Scholars say it is important to know the clear Shariah rules on this matter.

Answering a question on the subject, writer and Shariah consultant Mufti Didar Hossain explained the rules and procedure for praying while travelling or on a moving vehicle. His explanation makes clear that the method of prayer differs depending on the vehicle.

According to him, planes and trains usually have spacious room. Therefore, on these vehicles it is possible to perform prayer while fulfilling all its conditions — standing, facing the qibla, and performing full ruku and sajda.

In other words, if there is an opportunity on a plane or train, prayer should be offered in the normal manner — standing, facing the direction of the qibla, and with full bowing and prostration. Because there is spacious room, there is no major obstacle to fulfilling the conditions on these vehicles.

The picture is different on a moving bus. According to Mufti Didar Hossain, it is somewhat difficult to observe all the conditions of prayer on a moving bus. Therefore, for prayer on a bus, the necessary steps have to be followed according to the situation.

Because of limited seating, the jolting of the moving vehicle and the lack of space to stand, it is often not possible to fulfil all the conditions together — standing, facing the qibla, or full ruku and sajda — which is why this difficult situation has been mentioned.

However, even if it is not possible under any circumstances to fulfil the obligatory conditions of prayer, the prayer time should not be allowed to pass, he opined. In his words, prayer should be performed in whatever way is possible — even sitting in the seat and using gestures.

In Islamic terminology, this method is called 'hurmatul waqt'. He noted that this at least saves a person from the major sin of abandoning the prayer time.

But this concession is not final. Mufti Didar Hossain said the prayer must later be made up as qaza when an opportunity arises. In other words, although the prayer offered by gesture on a moving vehicle protects the prayer time, there is guidance to offer it again as a make-up prayer when possible.

In support of this view, he cited several works of fiqh. They include Ahsanul Fatawa, Raddul Muhtar, Ilaus Sunan, Jawahirul Fiqh, Maarifus Sunan and Fatawa Hindia.

All in all, the explanation highlights the importance of praying on time even while travelling — with the full rules where the vehicle allows, by sitting and using gestures to protect the prayer time where it does not, and with the advice to make the prayer up later.