Question (a): This last thing you said, from "however" onwards — who said it? You, or some hadith scholar? (Background: Sunan Abi Dawud 840 — placing the hands before the knees in prostration)
Question (b): How should I answer an ordinary person's question, and with what evidence, that despite the hadith of Hazrat Anas the distance is still 80 kilometres?
This statement is based on the explicit sayings of the hadith scholars and the imams of the Salaf: prayer is valid by both methods, but placing the hands first is preferable and is the Sunnah.
This statement is based on the explicit sayings of the hadith scholars and the imams of the Salaf: prayer is valid by both methods, but placing the hands first is preferable and is the Sunnah.
Conclusion: The strongest method is hands first; the prayer of one who adopts the other method is also valid — criticism is not correct.
1. The total distance of the journey: If it is at least 77 to 80 kilometres or more from the boundary of the destination city, one may shorten (qasr) — evidence: Ibn 'Umar and Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, used to give the fatwa of shortening at four burud (approximately 80 kilometres); this was the practice of the majority of the Companions and the Followers (Tabi'in).
2. The start of shortening: On setting out on an 80-kilometre journey, one may pray the first prayer shortened as soon as one crosses the boundary of one's city's populated area — there is no waiting until the 80 kilometres are completed. This is precisely the meaning of the hadith of Anas (Sahih Muslim: 691): when the Prophet ﷺ set out on a long journey, he would pray shortened, when its time came, as soon as he left the city (at about 3 miles or 3 farsakhs) — that is, shortening begins as soon as one leaves the city, not after 80 kilometres.
Example: A person going to another distant city (80+ kilometres) may pray the prayer of the road as two rak'ahs as soon as he leaves the boundary of his own city.
Translated from the original Urdu fatwa.