He said, I asked, "Messenger of Allah, which part of the night is most receptive to supplication?"He replied, "The depth of the latter part of the night. So pray as much as you wish, for the prayer at that time is witnessed and recorded, until you pray the dawn prayer. Then refrain until the sun rises and ascends the height of a spear or two, for it rises between the two horns of Satan and the disbelievers prostrate to it then. Then pray as much as you wish, for the prayer is witnessed and recorded, until the spear's shadow equals its length. Then refrain, for at that moment Hellfire is stoked and its gates are flung open. When the sun passes its zenith, pray as much as you wish, for the prayer is witnessed, until you pray the afternoon prayer. Then refrain until the sun sets, for it sets between the two horns of Satan and the disbelievers prostrate to it then."And he related a long hadith.Abbas said, "This is exactly how Abu Salam narrated it to me from Abu Umama, unless I have made some unintended mistake, in which case I seek Allah's forgiveness and turn to Him in repentance."
حدثنا الربيع بن نافع حدثنا محمد بن المهاجر عن العباس بن سالم عن أبي سلام عن أبي أمامة
أنه قال قلت يا رسول الله أي الليل أسمع قال جوف الليل الآخر فصل ما شئت فإن الصلاة مشهودة مكتوبة حتى تصلي الصبح ثم أقصر حتى تطلع الشمس فترتفع قيس رمح أو رمحين فإنها تطلع بين قرني شيطان ويصلي لها الكفار ثم صل ما شئت فإن الصلاة مشهودة مكتوبة حتى يعدل الرمح ظله ثم أقصر فإن جهنم تسجر وتفتح أبوابها فإذا زاغت الشمس فصل ما شئت فإن الصلاة مشهودة حتى تصلي العصر ثم أقصر حتى تغرب الشمس فإنها تغرب بين قرني شيطان ويصلي لها الكفار وقص حديثا طويلا قال العباس هكذا حدثني أبو سلام عن أبي أمامة إلا أن أخطئ شيئا لا أريده فأستغفر الله وأتوب إليه
[Its isnad is sahih]. Tirmidhi narrated it in his chapters on Supplications, in the chapter that comes after the chapter on the supplication of the guest, hadith no. 3579, from the hadith of Abu Umama in a shortened form, and he said, "Hasan sahih gharib." Hakim also graded it sahih, 1/163, 165, and its basic version is found in Sahih Muslim, hadith no. 832.