The Messenger of Allah ﷺ combined the noon and afternoon prayers, and the sunset and night prayers, in Medina, without there being any fear or rain.Ibn Abbas was asked, "What did he intend by that?"He replied, "He intended not to place his community in hardship."
حدثنا يحيى عن شعبة حدثنا قتادة قال سمعت جابر بن زيد
جمع رسول الله ﷺ بين الظهر والعصر والمغرب والعشاء بالمدينة في غير خوف ولا مطر قيل لابن عباس وما أراد إلى ذلك قال أراد أن لا يحرج أمته
Its chain of transmission is sahih. Regarding his statement, "and he did not intend that," in manuscript H it reads "and he did not intend other than that," which is a clear error with no meaning. In manuscript K it reads "and he did not intend to other than that," but the word "other" has been struck through there, and omitting it is the correct reading, matching the version in Muslim 1:197.This hadith was narrated by Malik in Muwatta 1:161 from Abu Zubayr, from Saeed bin Jubayr, from Ibn Abbas, "The Messenger of Allah prayed Dhuhr and Asr together, and Maghrib and Isha together, without fear or travel." Malik said afterward, "I think that was during rain." This assumption of Malik's is shown to be mistaken by this narration, which states "without fear or rain."This narration was transmitted by the whole group except Bukhari, as noted in Muntaqa 1537. Muslim narrated it in 1:196 through the route of Abu Zubayr, the same route through which Malik narrated. See also 1874 and 1918. It will also come again at 2269 and 2557.