The beginning and end of the last third of the night
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Q: It is mentioned in the hadith the hadith, when does the last third begin and when does it end?
A: It is well established through mass-transmitted reports from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) the affirmation of the descent, and his saying (peace and blessings be upon him)Sunan Abi Dawud 4733Sahih (Al-Albani). The people of the Sunnah and the community have agreed upon affirming the attribute of descent in the manner befitting Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), who does not resemble His creation in any of His attributes, as He (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: [Al-Ikhlas 112:1] Allah, the Self-Sufficient. He has not beget nor been begotten. And there is none comparable to Him. [Al-Ikhlas: 1 - 4]. And He (peace be upon him) said : [Al-Shura: 11].
Therefore, it is obligatory according to the people of the Sunnah and the community to pass over the verses of attributes and their hadiths as they came, without distortion, denial of the divine attributes, asking how an attribute is, or comparing Allah to creation, while believing in them and holding that what they indicate is truth. There is no likening of Allah to His creation in any of them, nor asking how an attribute is. Rather, their statement regarding the attributes is like their statement regarding the Essence: in what the people of the Sunnah and the community affirm of His Essence (Glorified and Exalted is He) without asking how or comparing, so likewise His attributes must be affirmed without asking how or comparing. And the descent is in every land according to its condition, because the descent of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) does not resemble the descent of His creation. And He (Glorified and Exalted is He) is described as descending in the last third of the night in all parts of the world in the manner befitting His Majesty (Glorified and Exalted is He). And no one knows the manner of His descent except He, just as no one knows the manner of His Essence except He (peace be upon him) [Al-Shura: 11]. And He (peace be upon him) said : [An-Nahl: 74].
The beginning and end of the last third are known in every time according to its measure. If the night is nine hours, the first time of the descent is the beginning of the seventh hour until the dawn breaks. If the night is twelve hours, the beginning of the last third is the beginning of the ninth hour until the dawn breaks, and so on according to the length and shortness of the night in every place. And success is from Allah.
Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) descends every night to the lowest heaven in the last third of the night
ينزل الله سبحانه وتعالى كل ليلة إلى سماء الدنيا في الثلث الأخير من الليلA: It is well established through mass-transmitted reports from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) the affirmation of the descent, and his saying (peace and blessings be upon him)
Our lord gets down every night to the heaven of this world when a third night remains and says: (Is there anyone) who prays to Me so that I may accept his prayer? (Is there anyone) who asks of Me so that I may give him? (Is there anyone) who asks for my forgiveness so that I may forgive him?
ينزل ربنا إلى سماء الدنيا كل ليلة حين يبقى ثلث الليل الآخر فيقول من يدعوني فأستجيب له من يسألني فأعطيه من يستغفرني فأغفر له...Say, "He is Allah, [who is] One,
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.
لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُTherefore, it is obligatory according to the people of the Sunnah and the community to pass over the verses of attributes and their hadiths as they came, without distortion, denial of the divine attributes, asking how an attribute is, or comparing Allah to creation, while believing in them and holding that what they indicate is truth. There is no likening of Allah to His creation in any of them, nor asking how an attribute is. Rather, their statement regarding the attributes is like their statement regarding the Essence: in what the people of the Sunnah and the community affirm of His Essence (Glorified and Exalted is He) without asking how or comparing, so likewise His attributes must be affirmed without asking how or comparing. And the descent is in every land according to its condition, because the descent of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) does not resemble the descent of His creation. And He (Glorified and Exalted is He) is described as descending in the last third of the night in all parts of the world in the manner befitting His Majesty (Glorified and Exalted is He). And no one knows the manner of His descent except He, just as no one knows the manner of His Essence except He (peace be upon him)
There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.
لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُSo do not assert similarities to Allah. Indeed, Allah knows and you do not know.
فَلا تَضْرِبُوا لِلَّهِ الْأَمْثَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتُمْ لا تَعْلَمُونَThe beginning and end of the last third are known in every time according to its measure. If the night is nine hours, the first time of the descent is the beginning of the seventh hour until the dawn breaks. If the night is twelve hours, the beginning of the last third is the beginning of the ninth hour until the dawn breaks, and so on according to the length and shortness of the night in every place. And success is from Allah.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.