Compiled by Imam Abu Dawud as-Sijistani
حَدَّثَنَا الرَّبِيعُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُهَاجِرِ، عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلاَّمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ عَبَسَةَ السُّلَمِيِّ، 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 .
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.