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Question

I live in a Western country. Sometimes, I travel a distance that equals not less than eight or ten hours. Due to the severely cold climate, I pray sitting inside the car, since warm places are either bars or toilets. What is the Sharee‘ah ruling on my prayer?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

It is impermissible to pray in the toilet. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "All of the earth is a place of prayer except a cemetery and a toilet." [Ahmad and At-Tirmithi, with a Saheeh chain of narration]

You should choose a time to travel during which you do not need to pray, such as the time between the ‘Ishaa’ (night) and Fajr (dawn) prayers. If the time of prayer becomes due and you fear the time will expire and you cannot pray except in a bar, you are permitted to do so on conditions that you would be safe inside the bar and that there is a pure place to pray in there.

Allaah Knows best.

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