English Translation

Bahz told us, saying: Hammad ibn Salamah told us: Ya'la ibn Ata' told us, from Yazid ibn Talq, from Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Baylamani, from Amr ibn Abasah, who said: I came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and said: "O Messenger of Allah, who has accepted Islam (with you)?" He said: "A free man and a slave" — meaning Abu Bakr and Bilal. I said: "O Messenger of Allah, teach me from what you know and I do not know: is there among the hours one more excellent than another?" He said: "The last part of the night is most excellent, for it is witnessed and accepted, until you pray the dawn prayer; then refrain from it until the sun rises, as long as it is like a small shield, until it spreads out, for it rises between the two horns of a devil, and the disbelievers prostrate to it; then pray, for it is witnessed and accepted, until the pillar (shadow) stands level upon its own shadow (at noon); then refrain from it, for it is an hour in which Hellfire is stoked; then when it declines (past noon), pray, for it is witnessed and accepted, until you pray the afternoon prayer; then refrain from it until the sun sets, for it sets between the two horns of a devil and the disbelievers prostrate to it." And Amr ibn Abasah used to say: "I am a quarter of Islam." And Abd al-Rahman used to pray two rak'ahs after the afternoon prayer.