The Sufficient (Vol 3) · Hadith 1017 (#Ḥadīth #5)

5ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) 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 مِنَ الْخَيْرِ مَا يُعَجَّلُ.

5. 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 , ‘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.’”

Gradings are classical jarḥ-wa-taʿdīl, name-matched to a rijāl index (not individually re-verified).