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Chapter X: Actions after Division of Times

There are seven divisions of day-(l) one division from early morning up to sun-rise, (2) two divisions from sun-rise to mid day, (3) two divisions from the declining of the sun to afternoon, (4) two divisions from afternoon to sunset. Night has got five divisions two divisions from sun-set up to going to bed and three divisions from mid-night to dawn. Now I shall narrate the divine service during these divisions of day and night.

FIRST DIVISION: This covers the period from the morning twi-light up to sun-rise. This is the honoured time as God says: By oath of early dawn when it gives out breath. Praising this time, God says: Say, I take refuge to the Lord of eariy dawn. His power has been manifested by suppression of shade at this time as God says: Then I take it to Me easily. There is hint of reciting Tasbih at this time in this verse: When there is dusk and when there is dawn, proclaim the glory and purity of God. God says: Glorify your Lord with His praise before sun-rise and before sun set. God says: Remember the name of your Lord morning and evening.

RULES OF THIS TIME: After getting up from bed, remember God by saying: All praise is due to God who gave me life after He made me dead and to Him is the return. Then make ablution with cleansing teeth and pray two rak'ats of prayer in your house and then go to the mosque and pray two rak'ats of compulsory prayer. You should not miss morning and night prayers in congregation as there are good rewards therefore. The Prophet said with regard to the morning prayer: If a man goes to the mosque for prayer after ablution, one reward is written for each step he takes and one sin is forgiven. This reward is increased to ten fold. When he finishes the prayer at the time of sun-rise, one reward is written for his every hair of his body-and the reward of one accepted Haj is given to him. If he sits waiting for the forenoon prayer, one lac rewards are written for him for each rak'at. At the end of prayer, keep seated till sun-rise with Zikr of God. The Prophet said: If a man keeps seated till sun-rise

252 ZIKR AND INVOCATION Vol-I

after morning prayer and remains busy in Zikr, it is dear to me than the manumission of four slaves. Hazrat Hasan Basari said that the Prophet had said: God said: O children of Adam, make My Zikr for one hour after morning prayer and for one hour after afternoon prayer. What is acquired in between these hours will be sufficient for you. There are four kinds of recitations upto sun rise-(l) Doa and Zikr, (2) Tasbih, (3) Quran reading and (4) to ponder over the creations of God.

Source: Imam Al-Ghazali, Ihya Ulum al-Din (Revival of the Islamic Sciences)
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