The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to pray four units of prayer after the sun had passed its zenith but before the noon prayer. He said, "This is an hour in which the gates of heaven are opened, and I love that a righteous deed of mine should ascend during it."
حدثنا أبو موسى محمد بن المثنى حدثنا أبو داود الطيالسي حدثنا محمد بن مسلم بن أبي الوضاح هو أبو سعيد المؤدب عن عبد الكريم الجزري عن مجاهد
أن رسول الله ﷺ كان يصلي أربعا بعد أن تزول الشمس قبل الظهر وقال إنها ساعة تفتح فيها أبواب السماء وأحب أن يصعد لي فيها عمل صالح
[Its chain of transmission is sahih]. Nasai also narrated it in Kubra, no. 331, from the hadith of Abu Dawud Tayalisi through this route, and it is found in Sharh al-Sunnah by Baghawi, 3/465, no. 890, through the route of Tirmidhi through this route.On this subject there is also a hadith from Ali, mentioned earlier at no. 424 and coming up at no. 598, and from Abu Ayub [Abu Dawud, no. 1270, and Ibn Majah, no. 1157].