الفتح الربانی
Fath al-Rabbani
كتاب الصلاةBook of Prayer
بَابُ اسْتِحْبَابِ تَأْخِيرِهَا إِلَى ثُلُثِ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ نِصْفِهِ
Chapter on the Recommendation of Delaying It to a Third or Half of the Night
Hadith 1166
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ يَبْلُغُ بِهِ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ، لَوْلَا أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لَأَمَرْتُهُمْ بِالسِّوَاكِ عِندَ كُلِّ صَلَاةٍ وَتَأْخِيرِ الْعِشَاءِ (وَفِي لَفْظٍ) وَلَأَخَّرْتُ الْعِشَاءَ إِلَى ثُلُثِ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ شَطْرِ اللَّيْلِ
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: If I did not fear hardship for my ummah, I would have commanded them to use the miswak with every prayer and to delay the ‘Isha prayer until one third or half of the night had passed. In another narration, it is stated: I would have delayed ‘Isha until one third or half of the night.
Hadith 1167
عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: مَسَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِصَلَاةِ الْعِشَاءِ حَتَّى صَلَّى الْمُصَلِّي وَاسْتَيْقَظَ الْمُسْتَيْقِظُ وَنَامَ النَّائِمُونَ وَتَهَجَّدَ الْمُتَهَجِّدُونَ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَقَالَ: ((لَوْلَا أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي أَمَرْتُهُمْ أَنْ يُصَلُّوا هَٰذَا الْوَقْتَ أَوْ هَٰذِهِ الصَّلَاةَ)) أَوْ نَحْوَ ذَا
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) once delayed the ‘Isha prayer so much that those who usually prayed had already prayed, those who stayed awake remained awake, those who slept had gone to sleep, and those who performed Tahajjud had performed Tahajjud. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came and said: If I did not fear hardship for my Ummah, I would have commanded them to perform this prayer at this time.
Hadith 1168
وَعَنْهُ أَيْضًا أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ شُغِلَ عَنْهَا لَيْلَةً فَأَخَّرَهَا حَتَّى رَقَدْنَا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ ثُمَّ اسْتَيْقَظْنَا فَخَرَجَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: ((لَيْسَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ يَنْتَظِرُ الصَّلَاةَ غَيْرُكُمْ))
It is also narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) became occupied one night and delayed the ‘Isha prayer so much that we fell asleep in the mosque. Then we woke up, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to us and said: “There is no one on the face of the earth, besides you, who is waiting for this prayer.”
Hadith 1169
عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُصَلِّي بِنَا الصَّلَاةَ الْمَكْتُوبَةَ وَلَا يُطِيلُ فِيهَا وَلَا يُخَفِّفُ وَسَطًا مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَكَانَ يُؤَخِّرُ الْعَتَمَةَ (وَفِي لَفْظٍ: الْعِشَاءَ الْآخِرَةَ)
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir bin Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him), he says: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to lead us in the obligatory prayers, and he would not make them too long nor too short; his prayer was moderate, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) would delay the ‘Atamah, that is, the ‘Isha prayer.
Hadith 1170
عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: انْتَظَرْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَيْلَةً بِصَلَاةِ الْعِشَاءِ حَتَّى ذَهَبَ نَحْوٌ مِنْ شَطْرِ اللَّيْلِ، قَالَ: فَجَاءَ فَصَلَّى بِنَا ثُمَّ قَالَ: ((خُذُوا مَقَاعِدَكُمْ فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ أَخَذُوا مَضَاجِعَهُمْ وَإِنَّكُمْ لَنْ تَزَالُوا فِي صَلَاةٍ مُنْذُ انْتَظَرْتُمُوهَا، وَلَوْلَا ضَعْفُ الضَّعِيفِ وَسُقْمُ السَّقِيمِ وَحَاجَةُ ذِي الْحَاجَةِ لَأَخَّرْتُ هَٰذِهِ الصَّلَاةَ إِلَى شَطْرِ اللَّيْلِ))
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), he says: We waited for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) one night for the 'Isha prayer, until about half the night had passed. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came and led us in prayer and said: Remain seated in your places, for indeed (the people of other mosques) have performed this prayer and gone to sleep, while you, from the time you have been waiting for this prayer, have been in prayer itself. And if it were not for the weakness of the weak, the illness of the sick, and the need of the needy, I would have delayed this prayer until half the night.
Hadith 1171
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي ثَنَا رَوْحٌ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ قَالَا: ثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ: ثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ زَيْدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ (رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ) قَالَ: أَخَّرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْعِشَاءَ تِسْعَ لَيَالٍ، قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ: ثَمَانِي لَيَالٍ إِلَى ثُلُثِ اللَّيْلِ، فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! لَوْ أَنَّكَ عَجَّلْتَ لَكَانَ أَمْثَلَ لِقِيَامِنَا مِنَ اللَّيْلِ، قَالَ: فَعَجَّلَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ، قَالَ أَبِي: وَحَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الصَّمَدِ فَقَالَ فِي حَدِيثِهِ: سَبْعَ لَيَالٍ وَقَالَ عَفَّانُ: تِسْعَ لَيَالٍ
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) delayed the ‘Isha prayer until one third of the night for eight or nine nights. One day, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: O Messenger of Allah! If you would lead us in this prayer earlier, it would be better for standing in prayer at night. So after that, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would lead this prayer earlier. ‘Abd al-Samad mentioned seven nights and ‘Affan mentioned nine nights.
Hadith 1172
عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ حُمَيْدٍ الشَّكُونِيِّ وَكَانَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ مُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ عَنْ مُعَاذٍ قَالَ: رَقَبْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي صَلَاةِ الْعِشَاءِ فَاحْتَبَسَ حَتَّى ظَنَنَّا أَنْ لَنْ يَخْرُجَ وَالْقَائِلُ مِنَّا يَقُولُ: قَدْ صَلَّى وَلَنْ يَخْرُجَ، فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقُلْنَا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! ظَنَنَّا أَنَّكَ لَنْ تَخْرُجَ وَالْقَائِلُ مِنَّا يَقُولُ: قَدْ صَلَّى وَلَنْ يَخْرُجَ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ((اعْتِمُوا بِهَٰذِهِ الصَّلَاةِ فَقَدْ فُضِّلْتُمْ بِهَا عَلَى سَائِرِ الْأُمَمِ وَلَمْ يُصَلِّهَا أُمَّةٌ قَبْلَكُمْ))
Asim bin Humaid Shakuni, who was among the companions of Sayyiduna Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him), narrates that Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) said: One day we were waiting for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) for the 'Isha prayer, but he delayed, until we began to think that he would not come out at all, and some of us said: He (peace and blessings be upon him) has already performed this prayer and will not come out now. Meanwhile, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) arrived, and we said: O Messenger of Allah! We had begun to think that you would not come out at all, and some among us started saying that you had already performed the prayer and would not come out. Upon hearing this, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Perform this prayer late, for indeed, through it you have been given superiority over all other nations; no nation before you has performed this prayer.
Hadith 1173
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي ثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ وَابْنُ بَكْرٍ قَالَا: أَنَا ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِعَطَاءٍ: أَيُّ حِينٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ الْعِشَاءَ إِمَامًا أَوْ خِلْوَةً؟ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ يَقُولُ: أَعْتَمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَيْلَةً بِالْعِشَاءِ حَتَّى رَقَدَ النَّاسُ وَاسْتَيْقَظُوا، فَقَامَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ فَقَالَ: الصَّلَاةَ، قَالَ عَطَاءٌ: قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: فَخَرَجَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِ الْآنَ يَقْطُرُ رَأْسُهُ مَاءً وَاضِعًا يَدَهُ عَلَى شِقِّ رَأْسِهِ، فَقَالَ: ((لَوْلَا أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لَأَمَرْتُهُمْ أَنْ يُصَلُّوا هَٰكَذَا))
Ibn Jurayj says: I asked Ata, "Which time do you prefer for me to perform the Isha prayer in congregation or individually?" He said: I heard Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrate: One night, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) delayed the performance of the Isha prayer until the people fell asleep and then woke up again. Then Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said, "(O Messenger of Allah!) The prayer." So the Prophet of Allah came out. It is as if I can still see him, with drops of water dripping from his head, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) had placed his hand on one side of his head, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If I did not consider it difficult for my Ummah, I would have commanded them to perform this prayer at this time."
Hadith 1174
(وَمِنْ طَرِيقٍ آخَرَ) بِنَحْوِهِ وَفِيهِ: فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! نَامَ النِّسَاءُ وَالْوِلْدَانُ، فَخَرَجَ فَقَالَ: ((لَوْلَا أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لَأَمَرْتُهُمْ أَنْ يُصَلُّوا هَٰذِهِ السَّاعَةَ))
(Second chain) There is a similar narration, except that in it: Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: O Messenger of Allah! The women and children have fallen asleep, so you (peace and blessings be upon him) came and said: If I did not fear hardship upon my ummah, I would have commanded them to perform this prayer at this time.
Hadith 1175
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ: أَعْتَمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِالْعِشَاءِ حَتَّى نَادَاهُ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ: قَدْ نَامَ النِّسَاءُ وَالصِّبْيَانُ، فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: ((إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ يُصَلِّي هَٰذِهِ الصَّلَاةَ غَيْرُكُمْ)) وَلَمْ يَكُنْ أَحَدٌ يُصَلِّي يَوْمَئِذٍ غَيْرُ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ (وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: وَذَلِكَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَفْشُوَ الْإِسْلَامُ)
It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), she says: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) delayed the ‘Isha prayer one night, until Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) called out to him: The women and children have fallen asleep. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came and said: Other than you, there is no one among the people of the earth who is performing this prayer at this time. At that time, only the people of Madinah were performing the prayer. In another narration, it is mentioned: This was before the spread of Islam.
Hadith 1176
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي ثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَكْرٍ قَالَا: أَنَا ابْنُ جُرَيجٍ أَخْبَرَنِي الْمُغِيرَةُ بْنُ حَكِيمٍ عَنْ أُمِّ كَلْثُومٍ بِنْتِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ أَنَّهَا أَخْبَرَتْهُ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: أَعْتَمَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ حَتَّى ذَهَبَ عَامَّةُ اللَّيْلِ وَحَتَّى نَامَ أَهْلُ الْمَسْجِدِ (وَقَالَ ابْنُ بَكْرٍ: رَقَدَ) ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَصَلَّى فَقَالَ: ((إِنَّهُ لَوَقْتُهَا، لَوْ لَمْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي)) وَقَالَ ابْنُ بَكْرٍ: ((أَنْ أَشُقَّ))
It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that one night the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) delayed the Isha prayer until a large part of the night had passed and the people of the mosque had fallen asleep. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) came, led the prayer, and said: This would be the time for this prayer, if it were not difficult for my Ummah.
