Adh-Dhariyat Verse 18

and pray for forgiveness before dawn.[[ Optional prayers before dawn are recommended, and are more likely to be accepted. ]]

and before dawn they would seek forgiveness,

and in the mornings they would ask for forgiveness;

praying at dawn for God’s forgiveness,

And in the dawns they prayed for forgiveness.

And in the hour of early dawn, they (were found) praying for Forgiveness;

and would ask for forgiveness at dawn,

And every morning asked forgiveness,

And used to seek forgiveness before dawn.

and at dawns they would plead for forgiveness,

And in the hour of early dawn, they would implore God’s forgiveness.

Also in the hours of the early dawn as well they were (found) praying for His protection.

And at the times at end of night before dawn they ask for forgiveness.

And used to seek forgiveness before dawn.

And in the morning they prayed for forgiveness.

And in the hours before dawn, they were (found) asking (Allah) for forgiveness,

The used to sleep but little at night.

And in the morning they asked forgiveness.

And ere the dawning of each day would seek forgiveness,

and asked for forgiveness in the early morning.

and at dawn would ask forgiveness,

And in the hours before dawn, they were asking for forgiveness.

praying at dawn for God's pardon,

And at dawn, they would pray for pardon.

and at dawns they used to seek forgiveness; they used say, `Our Lord! Forgive us',

And in the hours before dawn, they were asking for forgiveness.

Mujahid and several others said;

"They were performing Salah."

Others said that they would stand in prayer during the night and delayed asking Allah for forgiveness until the latter hours before dawn.

As Allah, the Exalted the Blessed, said;

وَالْمُسْتَغْفِرِينَ بِالاٌّسْحَارِ

And those who seek forgiveness during the last hours of the night. (3;17)

This is because it is better if asking for forgiveness is done while praying.

It is confirmed in the Sahih collections as well as others, from several Companions, that the Messenger of Allah said,

إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى يَنْزِلُ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ إِلَى سَمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا حِينَ يَبْقَى ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ الاَْخِيرُ فَيَقُولُ

هَلْ مِنْ تَايِبٍ فَأَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِ

هَلْ مِنْ مُسْتَغْفِرٍ فَأَغْفِرَ لَهُ

هَلْ مِنْ سَايِلٍ فَيُعْطَى سُوْلَهُ

حَتْى يَطْلُعَ الْفَجْر

Allah, the Most High, descends each night to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains. He says,

"Is there anyone who is repenting so that I may accept his repentance?

Is there anyone seeking forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?

Is there anyone asking of Me, so that I may grant him his request?"

until Fajr begins.

Many of the scholars of Tafsir said that when the Prophet Ya`qub said to his sons;
سَوْفَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكُمْ رَبِّيَ
I will ask my Lord for forgiveness for you (12;98), he delayed doing so until the hours before dawn.

Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said,

وَفِي أَمْوَالِهِمْ حَقٌّ لِّلسَّايِلِ وَالْمَحْرُومِ