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And when you are going forth, travelling, in the land you would not be at fault if you shorten the prayer, by making it two [genuflexions] instead of four, if you fear that you may be afflicted by those who do not believe, that is, [if you fear] that you may be harmed [by them]: this [fear of affliction at the hands of the disbelievers] is [just intended as] an explication of the reality [of the situation] at that time and the point no longer applies. In the Sunna, it is pointed out that 'travel' (safar) means long-distance [travel], which is [approximately] 50 miles. Allah’s words 'you would not be at fault' should be understood as [denoting] a dispensation and not a requirement, and this is the opinion of Al-Shāfi’ī; the disbelievers are a manifest foe to you, their enmity being evident.