Supererogatory Salah on Fridays

Q: I went to the Masjid (mosque) to offer the Jum`ah (Friday) Prayer. I offered as many Sunnah (supererogatory) Salahs as I could. Then I started to recite some of the Qur'an. When I finished (Part No. 7; Page No. 102) the recitation, I thought of offering extra Sunnah Prayers. It was almost twenty minutes before the Khatib (preacher) came in to deliver the Khutbah (sermon) when the man sitting next to me grabbed my garment. I sat down to listen to what he had to say. He said that he heard Shaykh Ibn Baz saying that it is not permissible to offer Sunnah Prayers almost half an hour before the Khatib comes in to deliver the Khutbah. Is that true? I also heard that the fire of Hell abates every Friday. Allah knows best.

A: It is not true that I have made such a statement. The correct view is that there is nothing wrong in offering as many Sunnah Prayers as one may wish before the Khatib ascends the Minbar to deliver the Khutbah. Authentic Hadiths have been narrated in this regard. Nothing has been reported from the Prophet to the effect that offering Sunnah Prayers before noon on Friday is prohibited.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.