The two ends of the day are the morning and the evening, and the near parts of the night are the hours close to the end of the day. From 'azlafa, meaning to draw near. The prayer of the morning is the Fajr. The prayer of the evening is the Dhuhr and Asr, because what comes after midday is considered evening. The prayer of the near parts is the Maghrib and Isha. The expression 'the two ends of the day' is in the accusative case, as they are added to the time, like saying: I stayed with him all day, and I visited him at midday, its beginning and its end. All of this is in the accusative case due to the addition of the added to the added to it. Similarly, 'the ends of the day' is read as 'wa zulfa', with two dashes. And 'zulfa', with the lam being silent. And 'zulfa' is in the form of 'qurbā'. The term 'zulfa' is the plural of 'zulfah', like 'zulm' in 'zulmah'. 'Zulfa' with the lam silent is similar to 'bisrah' and 'basar'. 'Zulfa' with two dashes is similar to 'basar' in 'basar'. 'Zulfa' means 'the near one', just as 'qurbā' means 'the near one': it refers to what is close to the end of the day from the night. It is said: 'wa zulfa min al-layl' means 'and near parts of the night', and it is appropriate in this interpretation to be connected to the prayer, meaning: establish the prayer at the two ends of the day, and establish near parts of the night, meaning: and establish a prayer by which you draw near to Allah, the Almighty, during some of the night. 'Indeed, good deeds erase bad deeds' has two interpretations. The first is that it refers to the expiation of minor sins through acts of obedience. In the hadith: 'Indeed, prayer from one prayer is an expiation for what is between them as long as one avoids the major sins.' The second is that good deeds erase bad deeds, in that they are a means of avoiding them, as in His saying: 'Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing.' It is said that this was revealed concerning Abu al-Yusr, Amr ibn Ghaziyah al-Ansari. He was selling dates when a woman came to him and he was attracted to her. He said to her: 'In the house, there are better dates than these.' He took her to his house, embraced her, and kissed her. She said to him: 'Fear Allah.' So he left her and regretted it. He went to the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, and informed him of what he had done. He said: 'I await the command of my Lord.' When he prayed the Asr prayer, it was revealed. He said: 'Yes, go, for it is an expiation for what you have done.' It is narrated that he went to Abu Bakr and informed him, who said: 'Conceal it from yourself and repent to Allah.' He went to Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, and he said the same. Then he went to the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, and it was revealed. Umar said: 'Is this specific to him or is it general for the people?' He said: 'Rather, it is general for the people.' It is narrated that the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, said to him: 'Perform a good ablution and pray two rak'ahs. Indeed, good deeds erase bad deeds.' [The original text mentions Abu al-Yusr, Amr ibn Ghaziyah, which is incorrect. It is actually Abu al-Yusr, Ka'b ibn Amr. This is also found in the books of the names of the companions. The author followed al-Thalabi, who mentioned that it was revealed concerning Amr ibn Ghaziyah al-Ansari. The hadith is found in Tirmidhi, Nasai, al-Bazzar, al-Tabarani, and al-Tabari from the narration of Uthman ibn Abdullah ibn Muhaib from Musa ibn Talhah, the son of Abu al-Yusr, the son of Amr, who said: 'A woman came to me to buy dates - I said to her: In the house, there are better dates than these, so she entered with me into the house. I reached for her and kissed her. She said: Fear Allah. I went to Abu Bakr and mentioned that to him: he said: Conceal it from yourself and repent. I went to Umar and he said the same. I went to the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, and mentioned that to him. He was silent for a long time until it was revealed: 'Establish the prayer...' the verse. Ibn Abu al-Yusr said: I went to him and he recited it to me. His companions said: O Messenger of Allah, is this specific to him or is it general for the people? He said: 'Rather, it is general for the people.' In a narration by Ahmad, Umar ibn al-Khattab said: O Messenger of Allah, is this specific to him or for all the people?'}

The Prophet said to him, 'Perform a good ablution and then pray.' Then Allah, the Exalted, revealed the verse. Mu'adh said, 'Is it specific to him or for all Muslims?' He said, 'Rather, it is for all Muslims.' The origin of the hadith is in the two Sahihs from Ibn Mas'ud. A man came to the Prophet and said, 'I treated a woman in the farthest part of the city, and I had relations with her without touching her, and I am this, so decide for me what you wish.'

Omar said to him, 'Allah has covered you, if you had covered yourself.' The Prophet did not respond to him with anything, so the man went away. The Prophet followed him with a man. He called him and recited to him, 'Establish prayer at both ends of the day...' the verse. A man from the people said, 'O Messenger of Allah, is it specific to him or for the people?' He said, 'Rather, it is for all people.' This is an indication of His saying, 'So remain steadfast,' and what follows it is a reminder for those who remember, a lesson for those who take heed.