Times when supplication is answered

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) reports this saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "When one third of the night remains, Allah Almighty descends to the lowest heaven; then the gates of heaven are opened; then He spreads out His hand and says: 'Is there anyone asking of Him, so that he may be given according to his asking?' The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: This continues until true dawn breaks."
Imam Ahmad and Imam Abu Ya'la recorded this narration, and the narrators of both are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyiduna Uthman bin Abi al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) relates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Every night a caller announces: 'Is there anyone supplicating, so that his supplication may be answered? Is there anyone asking, so that he may be given? Is there anyone seeking forgiveness, so that he may be forgiven?' The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: This continues until true dawn."
Imam Ahmad recorded this narration, and Imam al-Bazzar recorded something similar, except that he recorded these words: "There is an hour in the night in which a caller announces."
Imam al-Tabarani recorded this narration similar to the wording of Imam Ahmad, and the narrators of both are the narrators of the Sahih, except for Ali bin Zayd, who has been declared trustworthy, though there is weakness in him.

Sayyiduna Uthman bin Abi al-As al-Thaqafi (may Allah be pleased with him) reports this saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "At midnight the gates of heaven are opened, and a caller announces: 'Is there anyone supplicating, so that his supplication may be answered? Is there anyone asking, so that he may be given? Is there anyone in distress, so that he may be granted relief?' The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: So whichever Muslim supplicates at that time, Allah Almighty answers his supplication, except for the adulteress who lives off the earnings of her fornication, and except for the one who collects unjust tolls."
Imam al-Tabarani recorded this narration, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyiduna Jubayr bin Mut'im (may Allah be pleased with him) reports this saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "Allah Almighty descends every night to the lowest heaven and says: 'Is there anyone asking, so that I may give him? Is there anyone seeking forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?' The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: This continues until true dawn."
Imam Ahmad, Imam al-Bazzar and Imam Abu Ya'la recorded this narration, and their narrators are the narrators of the Sahih;
Imam al-Tabarani (also) recorded this narration.

Sayyiduna Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) relates: after this there is a narration similar to the one narrated by Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).
(Allamah al-Haythami says:) I say: The text of this narration is this: (Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, says:) I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Were it not that I feared putting my Ummah into hardship, I would have ordered them to use the siwak at every prayer, and I would have delayed the Isha prayer until the first third of the night had passed. When the first third of the night passes, Allah Almighty descends to the lowest heaven and remains there continuously until true dawn, and during this time a caller says: 'Is there anyone asking, so that he may be given? Is there anyone supplicating, so that it may be answered? Is there anyone sick who seeks healing, so that he may be granted healing? Is there any sinner who seeks forgiveness, so that he may be forgiven?'"
Imam Ahmad recorded this narration, and Imam Abu Ya'la recorded something similar and recorded these additional words: "Is there anyone repenting," The narrators of both narrations are thiqat (trustworthy), and Ibn Ishaq has explicitly stated that he heard it directly.

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When one third of the night remains, Allah Almighty descends to the lowest heaven and says: 'Who is it that will supplicate to Me, so that I may answer his supplication? Who is it that will seek My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him? Who is it that will ask Me for provision, so that I may provide for him? Who is it that will ask Me to remove harm, so that I may remove his harm?' The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: This continues until true dawn." (Allamah al-Haythami says:) I say:
This narration is recorded in the Sahih in abridged form.
Imam Ahmad recorded this narration, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports this saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "In the last half of the night (the narrator is in doubt, or perhaps the words are:) in the last third of the night, Allah Almighty descends to the lowest heaven and says: 'Who is it that will supplicate to Me, so that I may answer his supplication? Who is it that will ask of Me, so that I may give him? Who is it that will seek My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?' The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: This continues until true dawn breaks and until the one praying finishes the morning prayer."
(Allamah al-Haythami says:) I say: This narration is recorded in the Sahih in abridged form, without these words: "Until the one praying finishes the prayer."
Imam al-Bazzar recorded this narration; its chain contains a narrator, Amr bin Khulayf, and he is da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Ubadah bin al-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When one third of the night remains, our Lord descends to the lowest heaven and says: 'Is there not a servant among My servants who will supplicate to Me, so that I may answer his supplication? Is there not someone who has wronged himself who will supplicate to Me, so that I may forgive him? Is there not someone whose provision is straitened, so that I may provide for him? Is there not an oppressed person who will supplicate to Me, so that I may help him? Is there not a captive, so that I may have him freed?' The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: This continues until true dawn, then the Lord rises up onto His Kursi."
Imam al-Tabarani recorded this narration in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, and recorded something similar in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, in which he recorded these words: "Is there not an oppressed person who will remember Me, so that I may help him? Is there not a captive who will supplicate to Me, so that I may help him? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: This continues until true dawn." The narrator named Yahya bin Ishaq did not hear from Sayyiduna Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him), and no one other than Musa bin Uqbah narrated from Yahya; the remaining narrators of al-Kabir are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyiduna Abu al-Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When the last three hours of the night remain, Allah Almighty descends. In the first hour He looks into the Book which no one other than Him looks into, and He erases whatever He wills and confirms whatever He wills. In the second hour He looks at the Garden of Eden, which is His dwelling, and in that Garden there will be with Him only the prophets, the martyrs and the truthful ones; and in that Garden there will be things which no one has seen, and the thought of which has never even occurred to any human heart. Then in the last hour of the night He comes down and says: 'Is there anyone seeking forgiveness who will seek My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him? Is there anyone asking who will ask of Me, so that I may give him? Is there anyone supplicating who will supplicate to Me?'" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: That is why Allah Almighty has said: "And the recitation of Fajr; indeed, the recitation of Fajr is ever witnessed," that is, Allah Almighty and the angels are present at it.
Imam al-Tabarani recorded this narration in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir and in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, and Imam al-Bazzar recorded something similar; its chain contains a narrator, Ziyadah bin Muhammad al-Ansari, and he is munkar al-hadith (his narrations are rejected).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) relates: A man asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in a loud voice: "Which part of the night is most suited for supplication to be answered?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The last half."
Imam al-Tabarani recorded this narration in all three of his books, and Imam al-Bazzar recorded it; the narrators of Imam al-Bazzar and of al-Kabir are the narrators of the Sahih.
(Allamah al-Haythami says:) I say: The narration of Sayyiduna Amr bin Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him) has already passed before this in the chapter on offering the voluntary prayers of the night and the day in pairs.

Sayyiduna Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports this saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "In four situations the gates of heaven are opened and supplication is answered: when the ranks face one another in the path of Allah Almighty, at the time rain descends, at the time the prayer is established, and at the time of seeing the Ka'bah."
Imam al-Tabarani recorded this narration; its chain contains a narrator, Ufayr bin Ma'dan, and there is agreement on his being da'if (weak).

Muharib bin Dithar narrates this account from his paternal uncle; he said: Once, at the time of sahar (the pre-dawn hour), I was passing by the door of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), and I heard him making this supplication: "O Allah! You called me and I came; You commanded me and I obeyed. This is the time of sahar, so forgive me."
The narrator says: Then I met him and said to him: I heard you reciting some words at the time of sahar. Then I told him about those words, and he said: Sayyiduna Ya'qub (peace be upon him) postponed (the supplication for) his sons until the time of sahar.
Al-Tabarani recorded it; its chain contains Abd al-Rahman bin Ishaq al-Kufi, who is da'if (weak).