أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِدُلُوكِ الشَّمْسِ إِلَى غَسَقِ اللَّيْلِ وَقُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ إِنَّ قُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا ﴿۷۸﴾ وَمِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِ نَافِلَةً لَكَ عَسَى أَنْ يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا ﴿۷۹﴾ وَقُلْ رَبِّ أَدْخِلْنِي مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٍ وَأَخْرِجْنِي مُخْرَجَ صِدْقٍ وَاجْعَلْ لِي مِنْ لَدُنْكَ سُلْطَانًا نَصِيرًا ﴿۸۰﴾ وَقُلْ جَاءَ الْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ الْبَاطِلُ إِنَّ الْبَاطِلَ كَانَ زَهُوقًا ﴿۸۱﴾

﴾78﴿ Aqimis Salaata liduloo kish shamsi ilaa ghasaqil laili wa quraanal Fajri inna quraa nal Fajri kaana mashhoodaa
﴾79﴿ Wa minal laili fatahajjad bihee naafilatal laka 'asaaa any yab'asaka Rabbuka Maqaamam Mahmoodaa
﴾80﴿ Wa qur Rabbi adkhilnee mudkhala sidqinw wa akhrijnee mukhraja sidqinw waj'al lee milladunka sultaanan naseeraa
﴾81﴿ Wa qul jaaa'al haqqu wa zahaqal baatil; innal baatila kaana zahooqaa

﴾78﴿ Establish the prayer from the declining of the sun until the darkness of the night, and the dawn prayer; indeed, the dawn prayer is witnessed (by the angels)
﴾79﴿ And during a part of the night, perform the Tahajjud prayer as an additional act of worship for you. It is expected that your Lord will raise you to a praised station
﴾80﴿ And say, O my Lord, cause me to enter with a truthful entrance and exit with a truthful exit, and grant me from Yourself a supporting authority
﴾81﴿ And say, "Truth has come, and falsehood has vanished. Indeed, falsehood is ever bound to vanish

[78] In this verse, the initial mention is of a righteous command and etiquette meant to bring firmness and steadfastness. What is intended here is commitment and consistency in performing all the prayers.
The meaning of "Mashhūdan" is that the angels of the night and day both attend this prayer.
The meaning of "li-dulūk" has two interpretations:
1. The first meaning is the decline of the sun (zawāl),
2. The second is the setting of the sun (ghurūb).
According to the first meaning, it refers to three prayers: Ẓuhr (midday), ʿAsr (afternoon), and Maghrib (sunset).
According to the second meaning, it refers only to the Maghrib prayer.
Ibn Jarīr and Ibn Kathīr have narrated the first opinion from many of the Companions and Followers (Tābiʿīn), and they have also reported a marfūʿ hadith (attributed to the Prophet) supporting duluk as the decline of the sun—thus making that view the stronger one.
"Qurʾāna" is a verbal noun (maṣdar) meaning recitation, and what is meant by recitation here is the entirety of the prayer, because reciting the Qur'an is a core pillar of the prayer.
[79] In this second command of righteousness and etiquette, the night prayer after waking from sleep is mentioned.
"فَتَهَجَّدْ" means to forsake sleep (hujūd), so it becomes clear that tahajjud is the prayer performed after sleeping—specifically after midnight, which is its preferred time.
"نَافِلَةً لَكَ" has two meanings:
1. It is an extra honor and distinction granted to you.
2. It is a special gift and favor for you.
The word nāfila (supererogatory) itself is proof that this prayer was not obligatory even for the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace). This is the correct opinion.
However, the specification with "لَكَ" (for you) is due to his special status—because through his performing of supererogatory prayers, the sins of the ummah are forgiven, and whatever the Prophet does, his ranks are elevated even further, as he is sinless.
The meaning of "مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا" is the station of great praise (shafāʿat al-kubrā), or it may refer to a station of even greater nearness to Allah the Exalted. The first meaning is better.
Mamḥūd is used because this station will be praised, or it may mean praised in, as mentioned in the hadith of intercession—where it is said that in that station, special forms of praise (ḥamd) will be taught to the Prophet that were not known before.
[80] This third command of righteousness and etiquette refers to “مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٍ” and “مُخْرَجَ صِدْقٍ”, meaning that both entering and exiting should be for the sake of Allah’s pleasure and by His command—not for worldly purposes or personal desires.
“سُلْطَانًا نَصِيرًا” refers either to a strong proof and argument, or to a form of authority and dominance that comes with Allah’s help—meaning a strength that does not weaken after being established.
This implies that after migrating in the path of Allah, authority and divine help will be granted.
[81] In this matter, the fourth reformer and proper conduct are present, and this statement is in the manner of prophecy. It is both a glad tidings and a consolation. This is mentioned in the authentic hadiths of Sahihayn: when Mecca was conquered and the Messenger of Allah (May Allah bless him and give him peace) struck the 360 idols with his spear, he said this—what is meant by "The truth has come, and falsehood has vanished" is the oneness of Allah, the Qur'an, and the message (of Prophethood).