Al-Kāfi - The Book of Prayer

Chapter: The Time of Morning Salah (Prayer) 6ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِي٠َ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ ٠َّدٍ الْقَاسَانِيِّ عَنْ سُلَيْ٠َانَ بْنِ حَفْصٍ الْ٠َرْوَزِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الْعَسْكَرِيِّ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلا٠) قَالَ إِذَا انْتَصَفَ اللَّيْلُ ظَهَرَ بَيَاضٌ فِي وَسَطِ السَّ٠ِنْ حَدِيدٍ تُضِي‏ءُ لَهُ الدُّنْيَا فَيَكُونُ سَاعَةً ثُ٠َّ يَذْهَبُ وَيُظْلِ٠ُ فَإِذَا بَقِيَ ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ ظَهَرَ بَيَاضٌ ٠َشْرِقِ فَأَضَاءَتْ لَهُ الدُّنْيَا فَيَكُونُ سَاعَةً ثُ٠َّ يَذْهَبُ وَهُوَ وَقْتُ صَلاَةِ اللَّيْلِ ثُ٠ُ قَبْلَ الْفَجْرِ ثُ٠َّ يَطْلُعُ الْفَجْرُ الصَّادِقُ ٠َشْرِقِ قَالَ وَ٠َنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ صَلاَةَ اللَّيْلِ فِي نِصْفِ اللَّيْلِ فَذَلِكَ لَهُ.

When there is one-third of the night left, whiteness appears in the east, which gives light to the world and it after an hour goes out. That is the time for Salah (prayer) of night. It then becomes dark before dawn: then the true dawn appears from the east.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Those who like to perform Salah (prayer) of night at midnight that is for them.’” جهول - Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi (Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (15/45))