If a traveller decides to return part way through his journey, can he still shorten his prayers on his way back?
Question

                I travelled from Riyadh to Damaam, but on the way, after I had travelled sixty kilometres, I decided to go back to Riyadh, because I changed my mind about travelling, and I shortened my prayer on the way back. Is what I did correct?
Praise be to Allah.
	If a person decides to travel to some city, then on the way 
	he decides to go back to his own city, then one of two scenarios must apply:

	1.

	The distance from the place where he decided to go back to 
	his own city is equal to or greater than the distance at which it becomes 
	permissible to shorten prayers. In this case, he may avail himself of the 
	concession of travel on his way back, until he enters his city.

	2.

	The distance from the place where he decided to go back to 
	his own city is not equal to the distance at which it becomes permissible to 
	shorten prayers. In this case, he cannot avail himself of the concession of 
	travel on his way back, because on his way back he is regarded as having 
	started a new journey, so he cannot shorten his prayers unless the distance 
	is equivalent to the distance at which it becomes permissible to shorten 
	prayers, which is eighty kilometres.

	This is the view of the madhhabs of the four imams.

	Burhaan ad-Deen al-Bukhaari al-Hanafi said: If the traveller 
	sets out from his city, then decides to go back to his city for some reason, 
	and that happens before he has travelled the distance of three days, then he 
	should pray in the manner of non-travellers in the place where he is and 
	when travelling back to his city, because he has cancelled out the intention 
	of travelling, by deciding to return to his city before the rulings on 
	travel came into effect. Therefore he is no longer regarded as a traveller (musaafir) 
	and between him and his destination there is a distance of less than three 
	days. So he should pray in the manner of non-travellers on his way back.

	But if he had travelled the distance of three days (or more), 
	then he decided to go back to his city, he may pray in the manner of 
	travellers, because the ruling on praying when travelling has already come 
	into effect by virtue of his completing that time, and the ruling remains in 
	effect until he is no longer travelling, when he reaches his destination

	End quote from al-Muheet al-Burhaani fi’l-Fiqh an-Nu‘maani 
	(2/35) 

	In at-Taaj wa’l-Ikleel (2/498) it says: Whoever sets 
	out on a journey in which it is permissible to shorten prayers, but he 
	travels a distance that does not make it permissible to shorten prayers, 
	then he goes back to his house for some reason, should offer his prayers in 
	full on the way back. End quote.

	Al-Qarraafi said: If he travels for three parasangs (leagues) 
	then returns, he should offer his prayers in full on his return journey, 
	because it is a second trip that is shorter than the distance at which it 
	becomes permissible to shorten prayers.

	End quote from adh-Dhakheerah (2/364)

	[three parasangs or leagues = approximately 15 km]

	Imam ash-Shaafa‘i said: If a man sets out from Makkah, 
	heading for Madinah, he may shorten his prayers, but if he becomes afraid on 
	the way, when he is in ‘Usfaan, and he wants to stay there, or to go out to 
	somewhere other than Madinah to stay there, if he gives up his previous 
	intention to travel to Madinah, I regard him as starting a new journey from 
	‘Usfaan.

	So if the journey that he wants to take from ‘Usfaan is of a 
	distance shorter than that at which it becomes permissible to shorten 
	prayers, then he should not shorten his prayers, but if it is of a distance 
	at which it becomes permissible to shorten prayers, then he may shorten his 
	prayers.

	Similarly, if he comes back from there, heading for Makkah or 
	some other city, I regard him as starting a new journey from that point. So 
	if where he is headed to is at a distance at which it becomes permissible to 
	shorten prayers, then he may shorten his prayers, but if it is not of a 
	distance at which it becomes permissible to shorten prayers, then he should 
	not shorten his prayers.

	End quote from al-Umm (1/216).

	An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If he sets out 
	to a distant land, then on the road he decides to come back, he is no longer 
	travelling and it is not permissible for him to shorten his prayers so long 
	as he is in that place. But when he leaves that place, he has started a new 
	journey, and he can only shorten his prayers if he is setting out on a 
	journey of two “stages” [a unit of distance], whether he is going back to 
	his city, setting out for his original destination, or heading somewhere 
	else. This was stated by ash-Shaafa‘i in al-Umm, and our companions 
	are agreed on it.

	Al-Majmoo ‘ Sharh al-Muhadhdhab (4/333)

	[A “stage” = approx. 40 km]

	Ibn Qudaamah said: If he sets out intending to travel a far 
	distance and he shortens his prayers, then he decides to come back, the 
	prayers he has already offered are acceptable and valid, but he should not 
	shorten his prayers on his way back, unless the distance he will travel on 
	his return journey is such that it makes it permissible to shorten the 
	prayers.

	This was stated by Ahmad.

	End quote from al-Mughni (3/110)