Is travelling 42 miles enough to combine my prayers for the event?
As-salamu alaykum ww, I'm a revert, female, 42, living in the UK. Reason for travel: There is an all-sisters charity gala in London I want to attend. I wear hijab full-time and rarely get occasions to dress up. I also want to meet more sisters and grow my network - I only have about 15 Muslim friends in my town. I'm unmarried and hoping to expand contacts to help sell my Islamic designs, so it's not just about looking nice. It's also important for my mental health: I've been unwell and mostly immobile for 14 months, and a change of scene would do me good. Distance and timing: The venue is 42 miles from my home, and the prayer times that day are close together. If I travel, can I perform dhuhr and asr together at the time of dhuhr, then later combine maghrib and isha at the time of isha? Notes and guidance I'm looking for: - Practical fiqh ruling about combining dhuhr and asr while traveling that distance and whether combining maghrib and isha later is acceptable. - Any reliable scholarly sources or links to trusted fiqh bodies that explain combining prayers while travelling. - Any reminders about travel rules (e.g., what counts as journey length, shortening prayers, intention, when one is considered a traveler) so I can plan. JazakAllahu khayran for any help and sources.