No. 1331

'A'isha. the wife of the Prophet of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam), reported: The Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) deferred one night the 'Isya' prayer. And this is called 'Atama. And the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) did not come out till Umar b. Khattab told (him) that the women and children had gone to sleep. So the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) came out towards them and said to the people of the mosque: None except you from the people of the earth waits for it (for the night prayer at this late hour), and it was before Islam had spread amongst people. And in the narration transmitted by Ibn Shihab the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) is reported to have said: It is not meant that you should compel the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) for prayer. And (this he said) when 'Umar b. Khattab called (the Prophet) in a loud voice.

No. 1332

A hadith like this has been narrated by Ibn Shihab with the same chain of transmitters, but therein no mention has been made of the words of al-Zuhri: It was narrated to me, and that which followed.

No. 1333

'A'isha reported: The Prophet of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) one night delayed (observing the 'Isya' prayer) till a great part of the night was over and the people in the mosque had gone to sleep. He (the Prophet) then came out and observed prayer and said: This is the proper time for it; were it not that I would impose a burden on my people (I would normally pray at this time). In the hadith transmitters by 'Abd al-Razzaq (the words are):" Were it not that it would impose burden on my people."

No. 1334

Abdullah b. Umar reported: We waited one night in expectation of the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) for the last prayer of the night, and he came out to us when a third of the night had passed even after that. We do not know whether he had been occupied with family business or something else. When he came cut he said: You are waiting for prayer, for which the followers of no other religion wait. except you. Were it not a burden for my Ummah, I would have led them (in the 'Isya' prayer) at this hour. He then ordered the Mu'adhdbin (to call for prayer) and then stood up for prayer and observed prayer.

No. 1335

Abdullah b. 'Umar reported that the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) was one night occupied (in some work) and he delayed it ('Isya' prayer) till we went to sleep in the mosque. We then woke up and again went to sleep and again woke up. The Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) then came to us and said: None among the people of the earth except you waits for prayer in the night.

No. 1336

Thabit reported: They (the believers) asked Anas about the ring of the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) and he said: One night the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) delayed (observing) the 'Isya' prayer up to the midnight or midnight was about to be over. He then came and said: (Other) people have offered prayers and slept, but you are constantly in prayer as long as you wait for prayer. Anas said: I perceive as if I am seeing the lustre of his silver ring, and lifted his, small left finger (in order to show how the Prophet had lifted it).

No. 1337

Anas b. Malik reported: We waited for the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) one night, till it was about midnight. He (the Prophet) came and observed prayer and then turned his face towards us, as it I was seeing the lustre of the silver ring on his finger.

No. 1338

This hadith has been narrated by Qurra with the same chain of transmitters, but therein he did not mention:" He turned his face towards us."

No. 1339

Abu Musa reported: I and my companions who had sailed along with me in the boat landed with me in the valley of Buthan while the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) was staying in Medina. A party of people amongst them went to the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) every night at the time of the 'Isya' prayer turn by turn. Abu Musa said: (One night) we (I and my companions) went to the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) and he was occupied in some matter till there was a delay in prayer so much so that it was the middle of the night. The Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) then came out and led them (Musa's companions) in prayer. And when he had observed his prayer he said to the audience present: Take it easy, I am going to give you information and glad tidings that it is the blessing of Allaah upon you for there is none among the people, except you, who prays at this hour (of the night), or he said: None except you observed prayer at this. (late) hour. He (i. e. the narrator) said: I am not sure which of these two sentences he actually uttered. Abu Musa, said: We came back happy for what we heard from the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam).

No. 1340

Ibn Juraij reported: I said to Ata': Which time do you deem fit for me to say the 'Isya' prayer, -as an Imam or alone, -that time which is called by people 'Atama? He said: I heard Ibn 'Abbas saying: The Prophet of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) one night delayed the 'Isya' prayer till the people went to sleep. They woke up and again went to sleep and again woke up. Then 'Umar b. Khattab stood up and said (loudly)" Prayer." Ata' further reported that Ibn 'Abbas said: The Prophet of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) came out, and as if I am still seeing him with water trickling from his head, and with his hand placed on one side of the head, and he said: Were it not hard for my Ummah, I would have ordered them to observe this prayer like this (i. e. at late hours). I inquired from 'Ata' how the Prophet of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) placed his hand upon his head as Ibn Abbas had informed. So Ata' spread his fingers a little and then placed the ends of his fingers on the side of his head. He then moved them like this over his head till the thumb touched that part of the ear which is near the face and then it (went) to the earlock and the part of the heard. It (the bind) neither held nor caught anything but this is how (it moved oil). I said to Ata': Was it mentioned to you (by Ibn Abbas) how long did the Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) delay it (the prayer) during that eight? He said: I do not know (I cannot give you the exact time). Ali' said: I love that I should say prayer, whether as an Imam or alone at delayed hours as the Prophet of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said that night, but if It is hard upon you in your individual capacity or upon people in the congregation and you are their Imam, then say prayer ('Isya') at the middle hours neither too early nor too late.

No. 1341

Jabir b. Samura reported that the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) postponed the last 'Isya' prayer.

No. 1342

Jabir b. Samura reported: The Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) used to observe prayers like your prayers, but he would delay the prayer after nightfall to a little after the time you observed it, and he would shorten the prayer.

No. 1343

Abdullah b. 'Umar reported: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) as saying: Let the bedouin not gain upper hand over you in regard to the name of your prayer. See I (The night prayer should be called) 'Isya' (and the bedouins call it Atama (because) they milk their camels late.

No. 1344

Ibn 'Umar said: The Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: Let the bedouin not gain upper band over you In regard to the name of your prayer, i. e. night prayer, for it is mentioned 'Isya' in the Book of Allaah (i. e. the Qur'an). (The bedouin call it 'Atama because) they make delay in milling their she-camels.