Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 35291 — Fighting the enemy: at what hour

Abu Hayyan (may Allah have mercy on him) said that a shaykh of Madinah stated: There was friendship and acquaintance between me and the scribe of Ubaydullah. I wrote to him asking him to write out for me the letter of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abi Awfa (may Allah be pleased with him) in which he said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do not ask to meet the enemy. And when you meet the enemy, be steadfast, and know that Paradise is beneath the shade of the swords." And he (peace and blessings be upon him) would wait; when the sun had passed its zenith, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would attack the enemy.