Three very precious hours during Ramadan (and otherwise):
1. The first hour in the morning after Fajr prayer.*
An-Nawawiyy said, “Know that (amongst) the most honorable times for dhikr is in the morning, i.e., dhikr after SubH (Fajr) prayer.” And the scholars mentioned the recommendation of using this hour for dhikr (remembrance of Allah) until the sun rises.
2. The last hour of the day before the sun sets.*
This precious hour usually passes on the the believer who is fasting these blessed days due to being busy with preparing food and such, however, the one who is careful to gain this reward will not let this hour pass like that. These are precious moments and minutes of high value. This hour is amongst the best of times for du^aa’ and asking Allah the Exalted, for it is amongst the times of istijaabah (the times the supplications are answered), in shaa’ Allah. As it came in the hadeeth, “Three are answered: the supplication of the fasting person, the supplication of the oppressed one, and the supplication of the traveler.” Narrated by At-Tirmidhiyy.
The pious Salaf were known to work extra hard during the end of the daytime versus its beginning, due to it being the closing of the day (its end), and the one granted the God-given success is the one whom Allah facilitates for him to use this hour in making supplication to Allah.
3. The time of saHar.
The saHar is the time that is before Fajr during the last third of the night. So take care of this blessed time, brothers and sisters, by making a lot of du^aa’ and a lot of istighfaar (seeking forgiveness from Allah) until the adhaan of Fajr is called, and especially during Ramadan.
And Allah encouraged us to take advantage of these precious hours by making tasbeeH (saying ‘subHaanallaah’) and tahleel (saying ‘Laa ilaaha illallaah’), as mentioned in the Qur’aan.
*BENEFIT:* It is recommended in Ramadan for one to put more effort in obedience and worship (i.e., to be more determined to do good deeds), to visit his/her relatives, and to recite the Qur’aan a lot. It is also recommended for one to make i^tikaaf in the masjid, especially during the last 10 days of Ramadan, as it came in the hadeeth that the Messenger of Allah, Sallallaahu ^alayhi wa sallam, used to do this during the last 10 days.
