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Text and translation
English translation
573. Abū Yahya Sulaim bin ‘Āmir, Damrah bin Ḥabīb and Abū Ṭalḥah Nu‘aim bin Ziyād said: “We heard Abū Umāmah Al-Bāhilī say: ‘I heard ‘Amrah bin ‘Abasah say: I said: ‘O Messenger of Allāh, is there any moment which brings one closer to Allāh than another, or any moment that should be sought out for remembering Allāh?’ He said: ‘Yes, the closest that the Lord is to His slave is in the last part of the night, so if you can be among those who remember Allāh at that time, then do so. For prayer is attended and witnessed (by the angels) until the sun rises, then it rises between the two horns of the Shaitān, that is the time when the disbelievers pray, so do not pray until the sun has risen to the height of a spear and its rays have disappeared. Then prayer is attended and witnessed (by the angels) until the sun is directly overhead at midday, and that is the time when the gates of Hell are opened and it is stoked up. So do not pray until the shadows appear. Then prayer is attended and witnessed (by the angels) until the sun sets, and it sets between the horns of a Shaitān, and that is the time when the disbelievers pray.”’ (Sahīh)
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Commentary
1. In one sense, all times are equal. But relating to Allāh's closeness and His distancing, a distinction materializes between different times. For instance, after midnight, Allāh's Mercy draws near to the extent that He descends to the lowest sky when there remains the final third of the night. Therefore, it is the time of unique nearness (to Allāh). Alaykum bi qiyām al-layl fa innahu dābussālihin qablakum (Jāmi' at-Tirmidhi, Hadīth 3549): Observe night vigil (Qiyām Al-Layl) because it has remained the practice of the righteous before you.
2. From this narration, undesirability of praying in three times is mentioned: (1) the sunrise (2) the sun's reaching its zenith (3) the sunset. While in some other Aḥādīth, forbiddance to pray after praying the Asr prayer and after praying the dawn Prayer has been mentioned. It is essential to abide by all the various narrations.
