“I came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, who became a Muslim with you?’ He said: ‘A free man and a slave.’ I said: ‘Is there any hour of the night that is closer to Allah than another?’ He said: ‘Yes, the last half of the night.’”  

أَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ مَعَكَ قَالَ حُرٌّ وَعَبْدٌ قُلْتُ هَلْ مِنْ سَاعَةٍ أَقْرَبُ إِلَى اللَّهِ مِنْ أُخْرَى قَالَ نَعَمْ جَوْفُ اللَّيْلِ الأَوْسَطُ  

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to sleep during the first part of the night and stay awake during the latter part.”  

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَنَامُ أَوَّلَ اللَّيْلِ وَيُحْيِي آخِرَهُ  

“Our Lord, the Blessed and Exalted, descends when one third of the night remains, every night and He says: ‘Who will ask of Me, that I may give him? Who will call upon Me, that I may answer him? Who will ask My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?’ until dawn comes.” Hence they used to prefer voluntary prayers at the end of the night rather than at the beginning.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ يَنْزِلُ رَبُّنَا تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى حِينَ يَبْقَى ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ الآخِرُ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ فَيَقُولُ مَنْ يَسْأَلُنِي فَأُعْطِيَهُ؟ مَنْ يَدْعُونِي فَأَسْتَجِيبَ لَهُ؟ مَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُنِي فَأَغْفِرَ لَهُ؟ حَتَّى يَطْلُعَ الْفَجْرُ فَلِذَلِكَ كَانُوا يَسْتَحِبُّونَ صَلاَةَ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ عَلَى أَوَّلِهِ  

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Allah provides respite until, when half or two thirds of the night had passed, He says: “My slave does not ask of anyone other than Me. Whoever calls upon Me, I will answer him; whoever asks of Me, I will give him; whoever asks My forgiveness, I will forgive him,” until dawn comes.’”  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُمْهِلُ حَتَّى إِذَا ذَهَبَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ نِصْفُهُ أَوْ ثُلُثَاهُ قَالَ لاَ يَسْأَلَنَّ عِبَادِي غَيْرِي مَنْ يَدْعُنِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَهُ مَنْ يَسْأَلْنِي أُعْطِهِ مَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرْنِي أَغْفِرْ لَهُ حَتَّى يَطْلُعَ الْفَجْرُ