عَن أَبِي أُمَامَةَ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ عَبَسَةَ رضي الله عنه أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «أَقْرَبُ مَا يَكُونُ الرَّبُّ مِنَ العَبْدِ فِي جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ الآخِرِ، فَإِنْ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَنْ تَكُونَ مِمَّنْ يَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ فِي تِلْكَ السَّاعَةِ فَكُنْ».
Abu ’Umāmah reported: ‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him) related to me that he heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "The nearest the Lord to a servant is in the course of the last part of the night. So, if you are able to be among those who remember Allah at that hour, do so."
Narrated by Abu Dāwūd, At-Tirmidhi, and An-Nasā’iGradeAuthentic
Explanation
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that the Almighty Lord becomes closest to the servant in the last third of the night. So, if you, O believer, find the success and ability to be among those who worship, pray, remember, and repent at this time, indeed it is something that should be seized and diligently achieved.
Benefits
- A Muslim is urged to remember Allah in the latter part of the night.
- Times vary in their excellence with regard to Dhikr, supplication, and prayer.
- Regarding the difference between his statement "the nearest the Lord to a servant" and his statement "the nearest a servant to his Lord is when he is prostrating", Mirak said: What is meant here is to identify the time when the Lord is closest to the servant, which is the middle of the night; whereas the purpose here is to demonstrate the state in which the servant becomes closest to the Lord, and that is the state of prostration.
Reference
سنن الترمذي (5/ 537) (3579). سنن أبي داود (2/ 454) (1277). سنن النسائي (1/ 279) (572). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (2/ 1019). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (5/ 509). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (17/ 535). مشكاة المصابيح، للتبريزي (1/ 387).