made it the counterpart of remembrance in a gathering. This parallels His words, “and without raising one’s voice.” The evidence for this is His saying, “in the mornings and evenings.” It is well known that the prescribed remembrance of Allah in the mornings and evenings, both in prayer and outside it, is performed with the tongue and the heart. Examples include the dawn and afternoon prayers; the prescribed remembrance following those two prayers; and the transmitted remembrances and supplications that the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—commanded, taught, and practiced as part of the prescribed devotions of the day and night at the two ends of the day, in the morning and the evening1.

Sixth: It should be performed in the mornings and evenings—that is, in the early morning and late afternoon. The verse thus indicates the special merit of these two times, for they are times of stillness, repose, and diligent worship, whereas the intervening period is generally devoted to earning a livelihood. It has also been reported that a servant’s deeds ascend at the beginning and end of the day. Remembrance is therefore called for at these two times so that his deeds may begin and end with remembrance.

In Sahih Muslim, Abū Hurayra—may Allah be pleased with him—reported that the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said: “Angels take turns among you: angels by night and angels by day. They meet at the dawn and afternoon prayers. Then those who spent the night among you ascend, and He asks them—though He knows them best—‘How did you leave My servants?’ They reply, ‘We left them while they were praying, and we came to them while they were praying’”2.

Seventh: One must not be heedless of His remembrance, as expressed in His words, “and do not be among the heedless”3—that is, among those who neglect the remembrance of Allah and are distracted from it. This indicates