When does the last third of the night begin and end, and how does the divine descent occur in different countries, as stated in the Hadith: "Allah, the Exalted, descends every night to the lowest heaven in the last third of the night"?

The People of the Sunnah and the Community (Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah) have unanimously affirmed the attribute of descent (nuzul) for Allah Almighty to the lowest heaven during the last third of the night. This has been consistently narrated in prophetic traditions, among them the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him): "Our Lord descends to the lowest heaven every night when the last third of the night remains, and He says: 'Who is there to call upon Me so that I may answer him? Who is there to ask Me so that I may give him? Who is there to seek My forgiveness so that I may forgive him?'"

It is obligatory to pass on the verses and hadiths pertaining to the attributes of Allah as they have been revealed, without distortion (tahreef), denial (ta'teel), or asking "how" (takyeef), or likening them to creation (tamtheel). One must believe in them and be convinced that what they indicate is a truth befitting Allah, the Exalted. For "There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing," and "There is none comparable to Him."

His descent, glory be to Him, does not resemble the descent of His creation. It occurs during the last third of the night in all parts of the world according to the local time of each place. He knows the manner of His descent, and no one else knows it. The beginning of the last third of the night is determined in each country according to the length of the night. If the night is nine hours long, the time of descent begins with the seventh hour until the dawn breaks.