May the peace and mercy of Allah be upon you,

I am a Muslim student studying in Miami. I pray the obligatory prayers, combined and shortened, and that is due to a lack of appropriate conditions. It is also because of how busy I am and how rare mosques are, as well as the existence of a legal basis for this exemption in fiqh.

My question to the noble shaikh is: What is the ruling of Shari`ah on doing this?

Is it permissible to combine the Jumuah prayer with Asr, because Jumuah—and Allah is the Source of all help—is the only prayer I pray in congregation with Muslims, and that is only after asking permission not to attend classes after Dhuhr and going to the closest masjid, which is about an hour and a half away by bus.

May Allah reward you well.

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Grantor of Mercy

All praise belongs to Allah, and may prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his household, his Companions and whoever follows His guidance. 

May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you also.

Know—my dear brother in Islam—that the ruling for you is that of a resident [not a traveler], and that a resident does not shorten the prayer, ever. As for combining, it is permissible with a legitimate excuse, such as rain, fear, or illness.

Combining the Asr prayer with Jumuah is not permissible according to the majority of the people of knowledge, even with a legitimate excuse, let alone for someone in residence.

Allah the Exalted knows best. 

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