Questioner:

What is said about what is happening now in the last 10 days of Ramaḍān – meaning, the prayer is divided into the first part and the last part of the night, and now this has become a permanent practice?

Shaykh Muḥammad Nāsir al-Dīn al-Albānī:

(Its an) Innovation.

Questioner:

How is it done? – meaning, we wish that we establish the Sunnah and [at the same time] make it easy for the people. So how can we do that?

Shaykh Muḥammad Nāsir al-Dīn al-Albānī:

Perform it early as ʿUmar ibn al-Khattāb stated and delaying it is better – meaning he commanded ʿUbayd bin Ka’b to establish the prayer with the people after the ʿIsha Prayer, so he did and when ʿUmar went out [to the masjid], he said ‘What a good innovation this is, but the prayer that they forgot about and sleep is better [than the one they are offering].

Questioner:

So it should remain the way it was before the last ten day?

Shaykh Muḥammad Nāsir al-Dīn al-Albānī:

Yes.