Al-Kāfi - The Book of Prayer

Chapter: The Timing of Salah (Prayer), the Beginning, the End and the Outstanding Phases 5ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِي٠َ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُ٠َرَ بْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلا٠) أَصْلَحَكَ الله وَقْتُ كُلِّ صَلاَةٍ أَوَّلُ الْوَقْتِ أَفْضَلُ أَوْ أَوْسَطُهُ أَوْ آخِرُهُ فَقَالَ أَوَّلُهُ إِنَّ رَسُولَ الله (صلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) قَالَ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يُحِبُّ ٠5.

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from ‘Umar ibn ’Udhaynah from Zurarah who has said the following: “I once said to abu Ja‘far (a.s.), ‘I pray to Allah to keep you well, of the timing for Salah (prayer), what portion is better?

Is it the beginning, the middle or the end of time?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is the beginning of it; the Messenger of Allah has said, “Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, loves of good things the most that which is done earlier.’” حسن - Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi (Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (5/29))