At What Time Should I Recite Supplications Recommended for the Morning and Evening?

Answered by Ustadh Salman Younas

Question: My question is regarding the Prophetic supplications that we are recommended to recite in the mornings and evenings. Should the evening supplications be recited after Asr or after Maghrib? I am confused about when the evening starts. I used to recite them after Asr until Maghrib until someone mentioned that they should be recited after Maghrib.

Answer: assalamu `alaykum

What can generally be said is that the “morning” refers to the time extending from the beginning of Fajr up until the rising of the sun while the “evening” refers to the time extending from `Asr up until the setting of the sun. [Saffarini, Ghida’ al-Albab]

This is because the prophetic supplications meant for the mornings and evenings are usually meant to encompass both ends of the day, namely the beginning, which starts from Fajr, and the end, which is right before Maghrib.

This recommendation to remember Allah at the respective ends of the daytime is based on the Qur’anic verse, “Oh believers, remember God often, and give Him glory at the dawn and in the evening.” (33:41) Here, the word “evening” refers to the end of the day, which is the time before sunset, namely `Asr time. [Abu’l Su`ud, Irhad al-`Aql al-Salim; Tabari, Jami` al-Bayan]

Of course, with this the important thing is that one supplicate to Allah as much as one can and at any time one is permitted to. One of the key instructions of the previously mentioned verse is the remember Allah often without stipulation of a specific time.

Wassalam
Salman

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani