18 Preface وَبِالأَسحارِ هُم يَستَغفِرونَYusuf AliAnd in the hour of early dawn, they (were found) praying for Forgiveness;1They were up early before dawn, ready for their devotions. The praying for Forgiveness and Mercy does not necessarily imply that they had committed fresh sins. Indeed they began the day with such devotions, showing their great humility before God and their anxious care for others, for whom they prayed as much as for themselves. See the last sentence of n. 21 to 1:5.