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Imam Malik narrated in Al-Muwatta from Abu Huraira: the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"The best day upon which the sun has risen is Friday. On this day, Adam was created, on it he was sent down from Paradise, on it he repented, and on it he died. On this day, the Hour will be established. Every living creature is attentive on Friday from the time the morning begins until the sun rises, out of fear of the Hour, except the jinn and humans. There is an hour on this day in which no Muslim servant is found praying and asking Allah for something except that Allah grants it to him."

There is a difference of opinion regarding the Hour of Acceptance:

- Anas ibn Malik reported: (It is after Asr until sunset.)

- Abu Huraira reported: (It is after Asr until sunset), and Ibn Abbas narrated similarly.

- Abu Huraira also narrated: (It is the last hour of Friday.)

- Jabir narrated: (It is the last hour after Asr.)

Then Ibn al-Arabi said: "The correct view is that it is from the time the Imam comes out until the prayer is concluded, as it has been established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)."

He refers to what Imam Muslim narrated in his Sahih from Abdullah ibn Umar: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'It is the time between when the Imam sits down until the prayer is completed.'"

Imam Abu Bakr Al-Athram said: "The best approach in this matter is to seek it at all these times out of caution and thoroughness.

As for the reason behind the differing narrations, it is due to one of two reasons:

1. Some of these narrations are more authentic than others.
2. This hour may move around within different times, just as Laylat al-Qadr moves among the nights of the last ten days of Ramadan."

Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Ibn al-Arabi said: "There were some devout worshipers in Al-Aqsa Mosque who would observe i'tikaf on Fridays from Fajr prayer until Duha, and on the second Friday from Duha until Dhuhr, and on the third Friday from Dhuhr until Asr, and on the fourth Friday from Asr until Maghrib. I admired this practice in the presence of my teacher Abu Bakr Al-Fihri, and he said to me: 'How do you know that they achieve it? Perhaps it moves just like Laylat al-Qadr?'

 And Allah knows best."