Travelling distance not known, and salaat while travelling in a plane.

1. Whilst in your hometown, being a resident or staying or intending to stay%0D%0Ain another town for 15 days or more, it is compulsory upon you to perform%0D%0Afull Salaat. It will then only become obligatory upon you to perform Qasr%0D%0ASalaat when you leave the boundary of your town with the firm intention of%0D%0Aundertaking a journey of 48 miles or more. It is therefore, necessary upon%0D%0Ayou to implore and exhaust all possible avenues and methods in determining%0D%0Athe distance between the two towns. If you are unsuccessful in doing so, you%0D%0Awill obviously not be able to make an intention of traveling 48 miles or%0D%0Amore, hence, it will only be appropriate that you perform your full Salaat.%0D%0A%0D%0A2. In regards to Fardh Salaat, if one is able to stand and perform his%0D%0ASalaat, then it is compulsory for him to do so. If he does not stand despite%0D%0Ahaving the ability to do so, his Salaat will not be correct. This same law%0D%0Aapplies to one whether he is performing his Salaat in his hometown or whilst%0D%0Aon a journey, in a train or a plane. (Fataawa Mahmoodiyya vol.14 pg.229).%0D%0AAs for Sunnah Salaats, it will be permissible to perform it sitting. Reason%0D%0Abeing that the emphasis placed upon Sunnah Salaats does not apply to a%0D%0AMusaafir. In fact, whilst on a journey, Sunnah Salaats enjoys the same%0D%0Astatus as Nafl Salaats in the sense that one will not be sinful if he omits%0D%0Ait. However, if one has the ability to perform the Sunnah Salaat without%0D%0Ainconveniencing himself then it is preferable for him to do so. (Darrul%0D%0AMukhtaar vol.1 pg.585)%0D%0A%0D%0A3. If you performed your Esha Salaat sitting despite having the ability to%0D%0Astand, it will not be correct. You will have to repeat the Salaat regardless%0D%0Aof whether landed at the airport during the time of Esha Salaat or after the%0D%0Atime expired.%0D%0A%0D%0Aand Allah Ta'ala Knows Best%0D%0A%0D%0AMufti Ebrahim Desai%0D%0AFATWA DEPT.%0D%0A