Abu Qatada reported that when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was in a journey he got down for rest at night, and he used to lie down on his right side, and when he lay down for rest before the dawn, he used to stretch his forearm and place his head over his palm.
He who forgets the prayer should say it when he remembers it, there is no explation for it, except this. Qatada said: (Allah says)" And observe prayer for remembrance of Me"
The prayer was prescribed as two rak'ahs, two rak'ahs both in journey and at the place of residence. The prayer while travelling remained as it was (originally prescribed), but an addition was made in the prayer (observed) at the place of residence.
I told 'Umar b. al-Khattab that Allah had said:" You may shorten the prayer only if you fear that those who are unbelievers may afflict you" (Qur'an, iv. 101), whereas the people are now safe. He replied: I wondered about it in the same way as you wonder about it, so I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about it and he said: It is an act of charity which Allah has done to you, so accept His charity.
Allah has prescribed the prayer through the word of your Prophet (ﷺ) as four rak'ahs when resident, two when travelling, and one when danger is present.
I asked Ibn 'Abbas: How should I say prayer when I am in Mecca, and when I do not pray along with the Imam? He said: Two rak'ahs (of prayer) is the Sunnah of Abu'l-Qasim (ﷺ).
I accompanied Ibn 'Umar on the road to Mecca and he led us in two rak'ahs at the noon prayer, then he went forward and we too went along with him to a place where he alighted, and he sat and we sat along with him, and he cast a glance to the side where he said prayer and he saw people standing and asked: What are they doing? I said: They are engaged in glorifying Allah, offering Sunnah prayer. He said: If I had done so I would have perfected my prayer; O my nephew! I accompanied the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on a journey, and he made no addittion to two rak'ahs, till Allah called him. I accompanied Abu Bakr and he made no addition to two rak'ahs till Allah caused him to die. I accompanied 'Umar and he made no addition to two rak'ahs till Allah caused him to die. I accompanied 'Uthman and he made no addition to two rak'ahs, till Allah caused him to die, and Allah has said:" There is a model pattern for you in the Messenger of Allah" (al-Qur'an, xxxiii. 21).
I asked Anas b. Malik about shortening of prayer. He said: When the Messenger of' Allah (ﷺ) had covered a distance of three miles or three farsakh (Shu'ba, one of the narrators, had some doubt about it) he observed two rak'ahs.
I went along with Shurahbil b. al-Simt to a village which was situated at a distance of seventeen or eighteen miles, and he said only two rak'ahs of prayer. I said to him (about it) and he said: I saw 'Umar observing two rak'ahs at Dhu'l-Hulaifa and I (too) said to him (about it) and he said: I am doing the same as I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) doing.
We went out from Medina to Mecca with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and he prayed two rak'ahs at each time of prayer till we returned to Medina. I said: For how long did he stay in Mecca? He said: (For) ten (days).
Salim b. 'Abdullah (b. 'Umar) reported on the authority of his father that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) observed the prayer of a traveller, i. e. two rak'ahs in Mina, and other places; so did Abu Bakr and 'Umar, and 'Uthman too observed two rak'ahs at the beginning of his caliphate, but he then completed four.
I heard 'Abd al-Rahman as saying; 'Uthman led us four rak'ahs of prayer at Mina. It was reported to Abdullah b. Mas'ud and he recited:" Surely we are Allah's and to Him shall we return," and then said: I prayed with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) at Mina two rak'ahs of prayer. I prayed along with Abu Bakr al-Siddiq two rak'ahs of prayer at Mina. I prayed along with 'Umar b. Khattab two rak'ahs of prayer at Mina. I wish I had my share of the two rak'ahs acceptable (to God) for the four rak'ahs.
Pray in your dwellings; and then said: When it was a cold, rainy night, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to command the Mu'adhdhin to say" Pray in your dwellings."
When you have announced" I testify that there is no god but Allah; I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah," do not say:" Come to the prayer," but make this announcement:" Say prayer in your houses." He (the narrator) said that the people disapproved of it. Ibn 'Abbas said: Are you astonished at it? He (the Holy Prophet), who is better than I, did it. Jumu'a prayer is no doubt obligatory, but I do not like that I should (force you) to come out and walk in mud and slippery ground.
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1497
Hadith 701
Chapter 4: It is permissible to offer voluntary prayers atop one’s mount when travelling, no matter what direction it is facing - كتاب صلاة المسافرين وقصرها
'Abdullah b. 'Amir b. Rabi'a has reported on the authority of his father that he had seen the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observing Nafl player at night on a journey on the back of his ride in whichever direction it turned its face.
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1506
Hadith 702
Chapter 4: It is permissible to offer voluntary prayers atop one’s mount when travelling, no matter what direction it is facing - كتاب صلاة المسافرين وقصرها
We met Anas b. Malik as he came to Syria at a place known as 'Ain-al-Tamar and saw him observing prayer on the back of his donkey with his face turned in that direction. (Hammam one of the narrators) pointed towards the left of Qibla, so I said to him: I find you observing prayer towards the side other than that of Qibla. Upon this he said: Had I not seen the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) doing like this, I would not have done so at all.
When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) set out on a journey before the sun declined (from the meridian), he delayed the noon prayer till the afternoon prayer, and then dismounted (his ride) and combined them (noon and afternoon prayers), but if the sun had declined before his setting out on a journey, he observed the noon prayer and then mounted (the ride).
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1512
Hadith 705
Chapter 6: The Book of Prayer - Travellers - كتاب صلاة المسافرين وقصرها
Ibn 'Abbas reported:
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الظُّهْرَ وَالْعَصْرَ جَمِيعًا وَالْمَغْرِبَ وَالْعِشَاءَ جَمِيعًا فِي غَيْرِ خَوْفٍ وَلاَ سَفَرٍ .
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed the noon and afternoon prayers together, and the sunset and Isha' prayers together without being in a state of fear or in a state of journey.
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1515
Hadith 706
Chapter 6: The Book of Prayer - Travellers - كتاب صلاة المسافرين وقصرها
Mu'adh reported:
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ أَبِي الطُّفَيْلِ، عَامِرٍ عَنْ مُعَاذٍ، قَالَ خَرَجْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ فَكَانَ يُصَلِّي الظُّهْرَ وَالْعَصْرَ جَمِيعًا وَالْمَغْرِبَ وَالْعِشَاءَ جَمِيعًا .
We set out with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the Tabuk expedition, and he observed the noon and afternoon prayers together and the sunset and 'Isha' prayers together.
None of you should give a share to Satan out of your self. He should not deem that it is necessary for him to turn but to the right only (after prayer). I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) turning to the left.