Is qasr done after covering the legal distance, or is it valid before that too?

Question

Zayd set out from Naugawan to Sambhal, which is more than 48 miles away. If Zayd goes directly to Sambhal, then in this case he will shorten the prayer (qasr). But if he travels in such a way that the end point of the journey remains Sambhal, yet he goes stopping for the night at intermediate places at intervals of ten miles, will he shorten the prayer in this case too?

Answer

The distance of a legal journey is at least 48 miles. When a journey is begun with the intention of this distance, qasr is necessary, even if one travels stopping at three or four places along the way — provided that the period of stopping is less than fifteen days.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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