Three very precious hours during RamaDaan (and otherwise):
1. The first hour in the morning after Fajr prayer.
An-Nawawiyy said, “Know that (among) the most honorable times for
dhikr is in the morning, i.e., dhikr after SubH (Fajr) prayer.” And the
scholars mentioned the recommendation of using this hour for dhikr
(remembrance of Allaah) until the sun rises.
2. The last hour of the day before the sun sets.
This precious hour usually passes on the the believer who is fasting
these blessed days due to being busy with preparing food and such,
however, the one who is careful to gain this reward will not let this
hour pass like that. These are precious moments and minutes of high
value. This hour is among the best of times for du^aa’ and asking Allaah
the Exalted, for it is among the times of istijaabah (the times the
supplications are answered), in shaa’ Allaah. As it came in the hadeeth,
“Three are answered: the supplication of the fasting person, the
supplication of the oppressed one, and the supplication of the
traveler.” Narrated by At-Tirmidhiyy.
And the pious Salaf were known to work extra hard during the end of
the daytime versus its beginning, due to it being the closing of the day
(its end), and the one granted the God-given success is the one whom
Allaah facilitates for him to use this hour in making supplication to
Allaah.
3. The time of saHar.
The saHar is the time that is before Fajr during the last third of
the night. So take care of this blessed time, brothers and sisters, by
making a lot of du^aa’ and a lot of istighfaar (seeking forgiveness from
Allaah) until the adhaan of Fajr is called, and especially during
RamaDaan.
And Allaah encouraged us to take advantage of these precious hours by
making tasbeeH (saying ‘subHaanallaah’) and tahleel (saying 'Laa ilaaha
illallaah’), as mentioned in the Qur'aan.
BENEFIT: It is recommended in RamaDaan for one to put more effort in
obedience and worship (i.e., to be more determined to do good deeds), to
visit his/her relatives, and to recite the Qur'aan a lot. It is also
recommended for one to make i^tikaaf in the masjid, especially during
the last 10 days of RamaDaan, as it came in the hadeeth that the
Messenger of Allaah, Sallallaahu ^alayhi wa sallam, used to do this
during the last 10 days.
And Allaah knows best.
(Theres a general and specific i^tikaaf.
The general is simply staying in the mosque with the intention of staying in it to get reward.
And the specific is intending to stay in it for a certain number of
days and as a result not being allowed to leave it except for an
excuse.)