I asked: Messenger of Allah, in which part of night the supplication is more likely to be accepted? He replied: In the last part: Pray as much as you like, for the prayer is attended by the angels and it is recorded till you offer the dawn prayer; then stop praying when the sun is rising till it has reached the height of one or two lances, for it rises between the two horns of the Devil, and the infidels offer prayer for it (at that time). Then pray as much as you like, because the prayer is witnessed and recorded till the shadow of a lance be- comes equal to it. Then cease prayer, for at that time the Hell-fire is heated up and doors of Hell are opened. When the sun declines, pray as much as you like, for the prayer is witnessed till you pray the afternoon prayer; then cease prayer till the sun sets, for it sets between the horns of the Devil, and (at that time) the infidels offer prayer for it. He narrated a lengthy tradition. Abbas said: AbuSalam narrated this tradition in a similar manner from AbuUmamah. If I have made a mistake unintentionally, I beg pardon of Allah and repent to Him.  

أَنَّهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ اللَّيْلِ أَسْمَعُ قَالَ جَوْفُ اللَّيْلِ الآخِرُ فَصَلِّ مَا شِئْتَ فَإِنَّ الصَّلاَةَ مَشْهُودَةٌ مَكْتُوبَةٌ حَتَّى تُصَلِّيَ الصُّبْحَ ثُمَّ أَقْصِرْ حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ فَتَرْتَفِعَ قِيْسَ رُمْحٍ أَوْ رُمْحَيْنِ فَإِنَّهَا تَطْلُعُ بَيْنَ قَرْنَىْ شَيْطَانٍ وَتُصَلِّي لَهَا الْكُفَّارُ ثُمَّ صَلِّ مَا شِئْتَ فَإِنَّ الصَّلاَةَ مَشْهُودَةٌ مَكْتُوبَةٌ حَتَّى يَعْدِلَ الرُّمْحُ ظِلَّهُ ثُمَّ أَقْصِرْ فَإِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ تُسْجَرُ وَتُفْتَحُ أَبْوَابُهَا فَإِذَا زَاغَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَصَلِّ مَا شِئْتَ فَإِنَّ الصَّلاَةَ مَشْهُودَةٌ حَتَّى تُصَلِّيَ الْعَصْرَ ثُمَّ أَقْصِرْ حَتَّى تَغْرُبَ الشَّمْسُ فَإِنَّهَا تَغْرُبُ بَيْنَ قَرْنَىْ شَيْطَانٍ وَيُصَلِّي لَهَا الْكُفَّارُ وَقَصَّ حَدِيثًا طَوِيلاً قَالَ الْعَبَّاسُ هَكَذَا حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو سَلاَّمٍ عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ إِلاَّ أَنْ أُخْطِئَ شَيْئًا لاَ أُرِيدُهُ فَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ  

[Machine] I came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he was at 'Ukaz, and I asked him, "Who is following you in this matter?" He replied, "A free man and a slave, Abu Bakr and Bilal." He asked me to return until Allah makes it easy for His Messenger, so I came to him afterwards and said, "O Messenger of Allah, may Allah make me a ransom for you! There is something that I know and you do not, it does not harm you, and Allah benefits me with it. Is there any hour that is better than another hour? And is there any hour in which one should be cautious?" He said, "You have asked me about something which no one before you has asked me. Allah descends to the lowest heaven in the last third of the night and forgives all sins except for shirk and acts of disobedience. The prayer is witnessed and prohibited. Pray until the sun rises, then refrain from prayers, for it rises between the horns of Satan, and this is the prayer of the disbelievers. When the sun has risen, pray, for the prayer is witnessed and prohibited until the day becomes equal to the night. When the day becomes equal to the night, shorten your prayers, for they are hours when Hellfire is kindled. When the sun declines, pray, for the prayer is witnessed and prohibited until the sun sets. When the sun sets, shorten your prayers, for it sets between the horns of Satan, and this is the prayer of the disbelievers."  

أَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ وَهُوَ بِعُكَاظٍ فَقُلْتُ مَنْ تَبِعَكَ عَلَى هَذَا الْأَمْرِ؟ فَقَالَ حُرٌّ وَعَبْدٌ وَمَعَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَبِلَالٌ فَقَالَ لِي ارْجِعْ حَتَّى يُمَكِّنَ اللهُ ﷻ لِرَسُولِهِ فَأَتَيْتُهُ بَعْدُ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ جَعَلَنِي اللهُ فِدَاءَكَ شَيْئًا تَعْلَمُهُ وَأَجْهَلُهُ لَا يَضُرُّكَ وَيَنْفَعُنِي اللهُ ﷻ بِهِ هَلْ مِنْ سَاعَةٍ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ سَاعَةٍ؟ وَهَلْ مِنْ سَاعَةٍ يُتَّقَى فِيهِ؟ فَقَالَ لَقَدْ سَأَلْتَنِي عَنْ شَيْءٍ مَا سَأَلَنِي عَنْهُ أَحَدٌ قَبْلَكَ إِنَّ اللهَ ﷻ يَتَدَلَّى فِي جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ فَيَغْفِرُ إِلَّا مَا كَانَ مِنَ الشِّرْكِ وَالْبَغْيِ فَالصَّلَاةُ مَشْهُودَةٌ مَحْضُورَةٌ فَصَلِّ حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ فَإِذَا طَلَعَتْ فَأَقْصِرْ عَنِ الصَّلَاةِ فَإِنَّهَا تَطْلُعُ بَيْنَ قَرْنَيْ شَيْطَانٍ وَهِيَ صَلَاةُ الْكُفَّارِ حَتَّى تَرْتَفِعَ فَإِذَا اسْتَقَلَّتِ الشَّمْسُ فَصَلِّ فَإِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ مَحْضُورَةٌ مَشْهُودَةٌ حَتَّى يَعْتَدِلَ النَّهَارُ فَإِذَا اعْتَدَلَ النَّهَارُ فَأَقْصِرْ عَنِ الصَّلَاةِ فَإِنَّهَا سَاعَةٌ تُسَجَّرُ فِيهَا جَهَنَّمُ حَتَّى يَفِيءَ الْفَيْءُ فَإِذَا فَاءَ الْفَيْءُ فَصَلِّ فَإِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ مَحْضُورَةٌ مَشْهُودَةٌ حَتَّى تَدَلَّى الشَّمْسُ لِلْغُرُوبِ فَإِذَا تَدَلَّتْ فَأَقْصِرْ عَنِ الصَّلَاةِ حَتَّى تَغِيبَ الشَّمْسُ فَإِنَّهَا تَغِيبُ عَلَى قَرْنَيْ شَيْطَانٍ وَهِيَ صَلَاةُ الْكُفَّارِ  

[Machine] A man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, "O Messenger of Allah, are there any specific times during the day and night when I should not pray?" The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied, "If you pray Fajr (before sunrise), then shorten your prayers until the sun has risen, for it rises between the horns of Satan. After that, the prayer is witnessed but prohibited until midday. When midday has passed, shorten your prayers until the sun starts to decline, for at that time Hellfire is kindled and its heat intensifies. When the sun has set, the prayer is witnessed but prohibited until you have performed Asr prayer. Once you have performed Asr prayer, shorten your prayers until the sun has set between the horns of Satan. After that, the prayer is witnessed but prohibited until you have performed Fajr prayer again."  

أَنَّ رَجُلًا أَتَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَيُّ سَاعَاتِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ سَاعَةٌ تَأْمُرُنِي أَنْ لَا أُصَلِّيَ فِيهَا؟ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «إِذَا صَلَّيْتَ الصُّبْحَ فَأَقْصِرْ عَنِ الصَّلَاةِ حَتَّى تَرْتَفِعَ الشَّمْسُ فَإِنَّهَا تَطْلُعُ بَيْنَ قَرْنَيِ الشَّيْطَانِ ثُمَّ الصَّلَاةُ مَشْهُودَةٌ مَحْضُورَةٌ مُتَقَبَّلَةٌ حَتَّى يَنْتَصِفَ النَّهَارُ فَإِذَا انْتَصَفَ النَّهَارُ فَأَقْصِرْ عَنِ الصَّلَاةِ حَتَّى تَمِيلَ الشَّمْسُ فَإِنَّ حِينَئِذٍ تُسَعَّرُ جَهَنَّمُ وَشِدَّةُ الْحَرِّ مِنْ فَيْحِ جَهَنَّمَ فَإِذَا زَالَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَالصَّلَاةُ مَحْضُورَةٌ مَشْهُودَةٌ مُتَقَبَّلَةٌ حَتَّى تُصَلِّيَ الْعَصْرَ فَإِذَا صَلَّيْتَ الْعَصْرَ فَأَقْصِرْ عَنِ الصَّلَاةِ حَتَّى تَغِيبَ الشَّمْسُ فَإِنَّهَا تَغِيبُ بَيْنَ قَرْنَيِ الشَّيْطَانِ ثُمَّ الصَّلَاةُ مَشْهُودَةٌ مَحْضُورَةٌ مُتَقَبَّلَةٌ حَتَّى تُصَلِّيَ الصُّبْحَ»  

[Machine] A man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, "O Messenger of Allah, are there any times during the day and night when it is forbidden for me to pray?" The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "If you pray Fajr (dawn prayer), then shorten your prayer until the sun has risen; for it rises between the horns of Satan. Then the prayer is forbidden, but acceptable, until midday. When midday comes, then shorten your prayer until the sun starts to decline; for at that time it is as if Hell is kindled and the intensity of the heat is from a breath of Hell. When the sun sets, then the prayer is seen but forbidden, until you pray Asr (afternoon prayer). When you pray Asr, then shorten your prayer until the sun sets; then the prayer is seen but forbidden, until you pray Fajr."  

أَنَّ رَجُلًا أَتَى رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَمِنْ سَاعَاتِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ سَاعَةٌ تَأْمُرُنِي أَنْ لَا أُصَلِّيَ فِيهَا؟ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِذَا صَلَّيْتَ الصُّبْحَ فَأَقْصِرْ عَنِ الصَّلَاةِ حَتَّى تَرْتَفِعَ الشَّمْسُ؛ فَإِنَّهَا تَطْلُعُ بَيْنَ قَرْنَيْ شَيْطَانٍ ثُمَّ الصَّلَاةُ مَحْضُورَةٌ مُتَقَبَّلَةٌ حَتَّى يَنْتَصِفَ النَّهَارِ فَإِذَا انْتَصَفَ النَّهَارُ فَأَقْصِرْ عَنِ الصَّلَاةِ حَتَّى تَمِيلَ الشَّمْسُ؛ فَإِنَّهَا حِينَئِذٍ تُسَعَّرُ جَهَنَّمُ وَشِدَّةُ الْحَرِّ مِنْ فَيْحِ جَهَنَّمَ فَإِذَا زَالَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَالصَّلَاةُ مَشْهُودَةٌ مَحْضُورَةٌ مُتَقَبَّلَةٌ حَتَّى تُصَلِّيَ الْعَصْرَ فَإِذَا صَلَّيْتَ الْعَصْرَ فَأَقْصِرْ عَنِ الصَّلَاةِ حَتَّى تَغِيبَ الشَّمْسُ ثُمَّ الصَّلَاةُ مَشْهُودَةٌ مَحْضُورَةٌ مُتَقَبَّلَةٌ حَتَّى تُصَلِّيَ الصُّبْحَ  

I asked: Messenger of Allah, in which part of night the supplication is more likely to be accepted? He replied: In the last part: Pray as much as you like, for the prayer is attended by the angels and it is recorded till you offer the dawn prayer; then stop praying when the sun is rising till it has reached the height of one or two lances, for it rises between the two horns of the Devil, and the infidels offer prayer for it (at that time). Then pray as much as you like, because the prayer is witnessed and recorded till the shadow of a lance be- comes equal to it. Then cease prayer, for at that time the Hell-fire is heated up and doors of Hell are opened. When the sun declines, pray as much as you like, for the prayer is witnessed till you pray the afternoon prayer; then cease prayer till the sun sets, for it sets between the horns of the Devil, and (at that time) the infidels offer prayer for it. He narrated a lengthy tradition. Abbas said: AbuSalam narrated this tradition in a similar manner from AbuUmamah. If I have made a mistake unintentionally, I beg pardon of Allah and repent to Him. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 1277)   

أَنَّهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أِيُّ اللَّيْلِ أَسْمَعُ؟ قَالَ جَوْفُ اللَّيْلِ الْآخِرِ فَصَلِّ مَا شِئْتَ فَإِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ مَشْهُودَةٌ مَكْتُوبَةٌ حَتَّى تُصَلِّيَ الصُّبْحَ ثُمَّ أَقْصِرْ حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ وَتَرْتَفِعَ قَيْسَ رُمْحٍ أَوْ رُمْحَيْنِ فَإِنَّهَا تَطْلُعُ بَيْنَ قَرْنَيْ شَيْطَانٍ وَيُصَلِّي لَهَا الْكُفَّارُ ثُمَّ صَلِّ مَا شِئْتَ فَإِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ مَشْهُودَةٌ مَكْتُوبَةٌ حَتَّى يُعْدَلَ الرُّمْحُ ثُمَّ أَقْصِرْ فَإِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ تُسَجَّرُ وَتُفْتَحُ أَبْوَابُهَا فَإِذَا زَاغَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَصَلِّ مَا شِئْتَ؛ فَإِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ مَشْهُودَةٌ حَتَّى تُصَلِّيَ الْعَصْرَ ثُمَّ أَقْصِرْ حَتَّى تَغْرُبَ الشَّمْسُ فَإِنَّهَا تَغْرُبُ بَيْنَ قَرْنَيْ شَيْطَانٍ فَتُصَلِّي لَهَا الْكُفَّارُ قَالَ وَقَصَّ حَدِيثًا طَوِيلًا  

"إذَا صلَّيت الصُّبْحَ فأقْصِرْ عن الصلاةِ حتى تطلعَ الشَّمسُ، فإِذا طلعتْ فلا تُصلِّ حتَّى ترْتَفِعَ؛ فإِنها تطلُع بينْ قرْنى شيطانٍ، وحينئذ يَسْجُد لها الكفارُ، فإِذا ارتفعت قدْرَ رُمْحٍ أو رمحين فصل، فإن الصلاة مشهودة محضورة حتى يستقبل الرمح بالظِّل، ثُمَّ: أقِصرْ عن الصلاةِ (حينئذٍ) فإِنَّها حينئذٍ تسجر جهنَّمُ؛ فإِذا فاءَ الفئُ فصل فإن الصلاةَ مشهودةٌ محضورةٌ حتيَّ تُصِّلى الْعَصْرَ، ثُمَّ أقْصرْ عنْ الصَّلاةِ حتَّى تغْرُبَ الشّمْسُ، فإِنَّها تَغْربُ بينَ قرْنى شيطانٍ وحينئذ يسجُدُ لها الكفَّارُ".  

"صَلِّ صَلَاةَ الصَّبحِ ثُمَّ أَقْصِر عَن الصَّلَاةِ حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ، حَتَّى تَرَتَفِعَ؛ فإِنَّهَا تَطْلَعُ - حِينَ تَطلُعُ - بَينَ قَرَنَى شَيطانٍ، وحِينئِذٍ يَسْجُدُ لَها الكُفَّارُ، ثُمَّ صَلِّ، فإِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ مَشْهُودَة مَحضُورَة حَتَّى يَنْتَقِلَ الظِّلُّ بالرُّمح ثُمَّ أَقْصِر عَن الصَّلَاةِ؛ فَإِنَّ حينئذٍ تُسجَرُ جَهَنَّمُ، فإِذَا أَقْبَل الفئُ فَصلِّ؛ فَإِنَّ الصَّلَاةُ مَشْهُودَة مَحْضُورَة حَتَّى تُصَلِّىَ الْعَصْرَ، ثُمَّ أَقْصِرْ عَن الصَّلاةِ حَتَّى تَغْرُبَ الشَّمْسُ، فإِنَّها تَغْرُبُ بَيْنَ قَرْنَى شَيْطَان وَحِينَئذِ يَسْجُدُ لَهَا الْكُفَارُ".