—of which a third is meant—appears to be reckoned on the same basis as the daytime whose midpoint is meant: namely, the night that ends at sunrise. Likewise, when the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“The time for the night prayer extends until midnight, or until a third of the night has passed,”

he meant this night. Similarly, when jurists speak without qualification of a third of the night or half of it, their usage corresponds to their use of “midday.” Those who calculate times likewise recognize no other reckoning.

It may, however, be said that what is meant is the night ending at dawn, as in the authentic hadith:

“The best night prayer is that of David: he would sleep for half the night, pray for a third of it, and sleep for a sixth.”

The customary day recognized by Islamic law extends until sunrise—rather, until dawn. If this is what the hadith means, then, when the last third of the night is calculated for the easternmost region, it begins four hours before sunrise there. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Our Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains, and says: ‘Who calls upon Me, that I may answer him? Who asks of Me, that I may give him? Who seeks My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?’—until dawn breaks.”

He thus stated that it continues until dawn. Another version reads:

“Until the reciter finishes the dawn prayer.”

Allah Most High said:

“And the recitation of the Quran at dawn. Indeed, the recitation of the Quran at dawn is ever witnessed.”

It is witnessed by the angels of the night and the angels of the day. It has also been said that Allah and His angels witness it.

If this descent continues for approximately one sixth of the time for those people, then the same applies to every people: once two-thirds of their night have passed, it continues for them for one sixth of the time. As for the descent when half or two-thirds of the night remain, it continues for one quarter or one third of the time, and thus lasts longer than that.