Muhammad bin al-Munkadir narrates from his father, Sayyiduna al-Munkadir (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came out one night - he had delayed the Isha prayer until part of the night had passed - while the people were waiting in the mosque. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "What are you waiting for?" They said: "We are waiting for the prayer." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "As long as you keep waiting for the prayer, you will be counted as being in prayer." Then he said: "This is a prayer that no nation before you has prayed." Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) raised his head towards the sky and said: "The stars are a means of safety for the sky; if the stars are extinguished, there will come to the sky that (calamity) which it has been promised. And I am a means of safety for my Companions; when I am taken, there will come to my Companions that (trial) which they have been promised. And my Companions are a means of safety for my Ummah; when my Companions are taken, there will come to my Ummah that (tribulation) which it has been promised." Then he said: "O Bilal! Call the iqamah."
Hadith Referenceالمعجم الكبير للطبراني / باب الميم / 17971