It is narrated from Sayyiduna Aslam Adawi (may Allah be pleased with him) that Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) performed two rak'ahs in Makkah and then said to the people: O people of Makkah! Complete your prayer because we are travelers. Then in Mina as well, Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) performed only two rak'ahs, but it has not reached us that he said anything there.

Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, was asked: Should the people of Mecca perform four rak'ahs or two rak'ahs in Arafat? And if the Amir al-Hajj is also a resident of Mecca, should he perform four rak'ahs or two rak'ahs of Zuhr and Asr in Arafat? And while the people of Mecca are staying in Mina, should they shorten the prayers or not? He replied: The people of Mecca, as long as they are in Mina and Arafat, should perform two rak'ahs and continue to shorten the prayers until they return to Mecca, and if the Amir al-Hajj is a resident of Mecca, he should also shorten the prayers in Arafah and Mina.

Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: If someone is a resident of Mina, he should not shorten the prayer, rather he should perform the full four units as long as he remains in Mina. Similarly, if someone is a resident of Arafat, he should also not shorten the prayer there.

Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: Whoever, upon sighting the moon of Dhu al-Hijjah, comes to Makkah and enters into the state of ihram for Hajj, then as long as he remains in Makkah, he should perform the full four rak‘ahs (in prayers). This is because he has intended to stay for more than four nights.