Muslims should go to the mosque day and night and should love being there. `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud said: “No one should miss the Prayer at the mosque except the ill and the hypocrites.” He also added that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us the means to guidance and one of these means is praying at the mosque. It is more preferable to go to the mosque early especially on Friday.
Sheikh Sayyed Sabiq states in his well-known book, Fiqh Us-Sunnah: It is preferred for one to go early to Jumu`ah, unless he is the imam. `Alqamah said: I went with `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud to the mosque and we found that three people had arrived there before us. [Ibn Mas`ud] said: “The fourth of four, and the fourth of four is not far from Allah, for I have heard the Messenger of Allah say: ‘The people will be seated on the day of resurrection according to how they came to the Jumu`ah Prayer: the first, then the second, then the third, then the fourth, and the fourth of four is not far from Allah’” (Ibn Majah and al-Mundhiri)
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet said, “Whoever makes ghusl on Jumu`ah like the ghusl one makes due to sexual defilement, and then goes to the mosque, it will be as if he had sacrificed a camel. If he goes during the second hour, it will be as if he had sacrificed a cow. If he goes during the third hour, it will be as if he had sacrificed a horned lamb. If he goes during the fourth hour, it will be as if he had sacrificed a hen. And if he goes during the fifth hour, it will be as if he had sacrificed (something like) an egg. When the imam comes, the angels will be present to listen to the remembrance” (Reported by the group except Ibn Majah).
Ash-Shaf`i and a number of scholars are of the opinion that the “hours” refer to the hours of the day; therefore, it is preferred for the people to start attending the mosque right after dawn. Malik is of the opinion that it refers to portions of the hour before the sun passes its meridian and afterward. Some hold that it refers to portions of the hour before the sun passes its meridian. Ibn Rushd says, “That is the most apparent meaning as going [to the mosque] after the sun passes the meridian is obligatory.”