Can the Salat-ul-Jumu’a be performed at the time of Salat-ul-Asr? My friend argues that the Jumu’a is for the gathering of the Ummah, so we can do it by that time when people will be free from their work. Reply from Qur’an or Sunnah.

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

The time of Friday prayer is actually the same as the time of Zuhr prayer, from the decline of the sun from the Meridian to the beginning of ‘Asr’ prayer time.  Performing Friday prayer in its early time is desirable since Allah loves performing prayers in their early time, as mentioned in Sahihain.  If you cannot perform Jumu’a in its earliest time but can perform it in its last time in congregation before the starting of ‘Asr time then you should perform it in congregation.

If you cannot pray Jumu’a prayer until the fixed time of ‘Asr enters then you should perform Zuhr instead of Jumu’a, because according to the majority of Muslim scholars, the time of Friday prayer ends when the time of ‘Asr prayer starts.

However, it is not permitted for a Muslim to be absent from Jumu’a prayer for any reason except those that are excepted in Shariah.  For more details on this matter, please read the Fatawa: 82624, 82844 and 85783.

Allah knows best.