One cannot Jama' ‘Asar with Jumu’ah

Invalid to Combine ‘Asar with Al-Jumu`ah

Question: I was traveling and on the way I stopped in a village and observed solāt al-Jumu‘ah with them. After the solat I stood up and observed `Asar, combining solāt al-Jumu’ah and `Asar. One of my friends was with me and he objected to it and said that it is not permitted to combine Solat ‘Asar al- Jumu’ah. What is the ruling on it? Jazakallāh khayran kathiran.

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful;

All the praise and Thanks are due to Allāh, the Lord of al-ā’lamīn. There is none worthy of worship except Allāh, and that Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam is His Messenger.

There is no evidence that suggest al-Jumu‘ah and `Asar could be jama’ (combined); rather what it says in shari’ah is that Zuhur may be combined with ‘Asar and Maghrib with `Isha’. Based on this, there is a need to repeat the `Asar that you joined with al-Jumu`ah, because it was done before its appointed time and solats observed outside of the time frame is invalid.

It is invalid to combine ‘Asar solāt with al-Jumu‘ah in the cases where it is permissible to combine Zuhur and `Asar. If a traveler passes through a town and prays Jumu’ah with them, it is not permissible for him to combine `Asar with it.

If rain falls and it becomes permissible to combine Zuhur and `Asar because of the rain, it is still not permissible to combine `Asar with Jumu’ah. If a sick person who is allowed to combine prayers attends Jumu’ah, it is not permissible for him to combine `Asar with al-Jumu‘ah.

The evidence for that is the verse in which Allāh says: “Verily, As-Solāh (the prayer) is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours”

[Al-Nisa’, 4:103]

It means the solāts must be offered at certain appointed times. Allāh has explained these times in general terms in the verse in which He says:

“Perform As-Solāh (Iqamat-as-Solāh) from mid day till the darkness of the night (i.e. the Zuhur, ‘Asar, Maghrib, and ‘Isha’ prayers), and recite the Qur’ān in the early dawn (i.e. the — Fajar (Dawn Prayer). Verily, the recitation of the Qur’ān in the early dawn (i.e. the morning — Fajar Solāt) is ever witnessed (attended by the angels in charge of mankind of the day and the night)”

[Al-Isra’, 17:78]

The time referred to in this verse – from mid-day until mid-night (the darkness of the night) includes four solah: Zuhur, ‘Asar, Maghrib and ‘Isha’. These are mentioned together because there is no interruption between their times; as soon as the time for one of them ends, the time for the next one begins. Solat Fajar is mentioned separately because its time is not related to either the time of ‘Isha’ or the time of Zuhur.

The Sunnah has explained the times for these prayers in detail, in the ahādīth of ‘Abdallah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas, Jabir bin Abdullah and others (radiyallāhu‘anhum). It states that the time for Zuhur is from when the sun passes its zenith until the shadow of an object is equal in length to it; the time for `Asar is from when the shadow of an object is equal in length to it until the sun sets, but once the sun starts to turn yellow, this is the time of necessity; the time for Maghrib lasts from when the sun sets until the red afterglow disappears; the time for ‘Isha’ is from when the red afterglow has disappeared until halfway through the night; and the time for Fajar is from when dawn begins until the sun rises. These are the times that Allāh has set for the prayers in the Qurān and the Sunnah of His Messenger (sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam).

Whoever offers a solāh before the time defined in the Qurān or the Sunnah of His Messenger his solāt is invalid (rejected), because Allāh says: “And whoever transgresses the limits ordained by Allāh, then such are the Zalimun (wrongdoers)”[Al-Baqarah, 2:229]

The Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever does any action that is not part of this matter of ours (i.e., Islām) will have it rejected.” [Narrated by Muslim, 1718]

The same applies to one who offers a solat after its time with no legitimate shar’ie excuse.

Whoever observes Zuhur before the sun has passed its zenith, his solāt is invalid and rejected, and he has to make it up. Whoever observes `Asar before the shadow of an object is equal in length to it, his solāt is invalid and rejected and he has to make it up, unless he has a legitimate shar’ie excuse that allows him to combine Zuhur and `Asar at the time of Zuhur.

Whoever observes Maghrib before the sun sets, his solāt is invalid and rejected, and he has to make it up.

Whoever observes ‘Ishā’ before the red afterglow has disappeared, his solāt is invalid and rejected, and he has to make it up, unless he has a legitimate shar’ie excuse that allows him to combine the two at the time of Maghrib.

Whoever observes Fajar before dawn comes, his solāt is rejected and he has to make it up. This is what is dictated by the Qurān and the Sunnah of His Messenger (sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam).

Based on this, whoever combines `Asar with Jumu’ah has offered the prayer before its time begins, which is when the shadow of an object is equal to its length, so it is invalid and rejected.

If someone were to say: can we not draw an analogy between combining `Asar with al-Jumu‘ah and combining `Asar with Zuhur?

The answer is: this analogy is not correct for several reasons:

1. It is an analogy concerning acts of worship.

2. al-Jumu’ah is a separate solat with its own rulings; it differs from Zuhur in more than twenty rulings. In such a case the two solats cannot be compared.

3. This analogy goes against the apparent meaning of the Sunnah, because as Imām Muslim  recorded a narration from ‘Abdallāh ibn ‘Abbas (radiyallāhu‘anhu) that the Prophet (sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) combined Zuhur and ‘Asar, and Maghrib and ‘Isha’ in Madinah at times other than times of fear or rainfall. He was asked about that and he said that he did not want to make things difficult for his ummah.

There was heavy rainfall that caused hardship at the time of the Prophet (sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam), but he did not combine `Asar with al-Jumu‘ah at that time.

Anas ibn Malik (radiyallāhu‘anhu) narrated that the Prophet (sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) prayed for rain one day when he was on the minbar, and he (sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) did not descend from the minbar until rain had soaked his beard.

Such a thing could not happen except in the case of heavy rain that would have allowed him to combine the solats, if it were permissible to combine `Asar with al-Jumu‘ah.

He (Anas) said: The following Friday, a man came in and said: “O Messenger of Allāh, our wealth has been drowned and our buildings have been destroyed; pray to Allāh to withhold it from us.”[Sahih al-Bukhari]

This implies that water was flowing in the streets, in such a way that it would have allowed them to combine `Asar with al-Jumu‘ah, if this combination were permissible.

If someone were to ask: what is the evidence that it is not allowed to combine `Asar with al-Jumu‘ah?

The answer is that this question is not appropriate, because the basic principle concerning acts of worship is that they should not be done unless there is evidence that they should be done. So we should not question the one who is not doing a certain act of worship about his evidence, rather the one who is doing a certain act of worship should be asked for his evidence, because Allāh says, denouncing those who worship Allāh in ways that are not prescribed in shari’ah :

“Or have they partners with Allāh (false gods) who have instituted for them a religion which Allāh has not ordained?”

[Al-Shura, 42:21]

“This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion”

[Al-Ma’idah, 5:3]

The Prophet (sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever does an action that is not part of this matter of ours (i.e., Islām), will have it rejected.” [Narrated by Muslim, 1718]

Based on this, if someone says, what is the evidence that it is not allowed to combine `Asar with al-Jumu‘ah?

The basic principle is that it is obligatory to offer `Asar on time; this principle may be waived when it is combined with another solah when there is a shar’ie reason for doing so, but at the other times the principle still stands that it should not be offered ahead of time, it must be done within the time frame.

If it is said: What do you think if a person intends solat Jumu’ah as Zuhur so that he can combine `Asar with it?

The answer is that if the one who is leading solat al-Jumu‘ah and the people behind him do this, i.e., if the people of a town intend solat al-Jumu‘ah as Zuhur, then there is no doubt that this is haram and the prayer is invalid, because Jumu’ah is obligatory for them, and if they ignore it and observe solat Zuhur instead, then they have turned away from something that is enjoined upon them towards something that they are not commanded to do. So their action is invalid and rejected, as said by the Prophet (sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) that whoever does an action that is not part of this matter of ours (i.e., Islam), will have it rejected.”(Muslim, 1718)

But if the person who intends Jumu’ah as Zuhur like a traveler who prays behind those who are observing al-Jumu‘ah but intends it as Zuhur so that he can combine `Asar with it, this is not valid either, because if he attended al-Jumu‘ah, it became obligatory for him, and whoever is obliged to pray, his Zuhur Solat is not valid.

In the al-Muntaha and al-Iqna’ it is stated that it is not valid to combine `Asar with al-Jumu‘ah; this is mentioned at the beginning of the chapters on solat al-Jumu’ah.

I have dealt about this matter at length because of the need for it. I inquire for Allāh's Guidance to put us on the right path, for He is the Most Generous, Most Merciful.

[See: Majmu’ Fatawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 15/371-375]

And Allāh Almighty Knows Best.

[Excerpted with modifications from Fatwa No: 26198 Islam Q&A]