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Hadith 206
اُردوEn
اَخْبَرَنَا مُحَّمَدُ بْنُ بَکْرٍ، اَنَا ابْنُ جُرَیْجٍ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِعَطَاءٍ: اَیُّ سَاعَةٍ اَحَبُّ اِلَیْکَ اَنْ اُصَلِّیْ الْعَتَمَةَ اِمَامًا وَخَلْوًا۔ فَقَالَ: سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ یَقُوْلُ: اعْتَمَّ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَیْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِی الْعَتَمَةِ ذَاتَ لَیْلَةٍ، حَتّٰی رَقَدَ النَّاسُ، ثُمَّ اسْتَیْقَظُوْا، ثُمَّ رَقَدُوْا، ثُمَّ اسْتَیْقَظُوْا ثُمَّ رَقَدُوْا، فَقَامَ عُمَرُ فَقَالَ: اَلصَّلَاةُ اَلصَّلَاةُ، فَخَرَجَ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَیْهِ وَسَلَّمَ۔ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ: فَکَاَنِّیْ اُنْظُرْ اِلَیْهِ وَرَأْسُهٗ یَقْطُرُ مَاءً، وَاضِعٌ یَدَهٗ عَلَی رَأْسِهِ، وَهُوَ یَقُوْلُ: لَوْلَا اَنْ اَشُقَّ عَلَی اُمَّتِیْ لَاَمَرْتُهُمْ اَنْ یُّصَلُّوْا کَذٰلِکَ.
Ibn Jurayj narrated: I said to Ata’ (may Allah have mercy on him): At what time do you prefer the Imam and an individual to pray the ‘Isha prayer? He said: I heard Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) say: One night, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) delayed the ‘Isha prayer until the people fell asleep, then woke up, then fell asleep again, then woke up, then fell asleep again. Then Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said: Prayer, prayer! The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came out. Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: It is as if I am looking at him, and drops of water were falling from his head, and he had placed his blessed hand on his head and was saying: “If I did not consider it difficult for my Ummah, I would have commanded them to pray at this (late) time.”
Explanation & Benefits
Hafiz Abdush Shakoor Tirmidhi
Benefits:
In another narration, it is reported from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “If I did not fear hardship for my ummah, I would have delayed the ‘Isha prayer until a third or half of the night had passed.” (Sahih Tirmidhi, no. 141; Sunan Ibn Majah, no. 691)
It is understood from this that performing the ‘Isha prayer with delay is more virtuous. However, this delay should not exceed half the night. Apart from ‘Isha, it is more virtuous to perform the rest of the prayers at their earliest time. Delaying ‘Isha is more virtuous when the followers (muqtadis) are willing to stay awake and do not experience any hardship. If this is not the case, then it is better to perform it at its earliest time. It is also understood that sleeping before the ‘Isha prayer is permissible. Although, in another narration, it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam disliked sleeping before ‘Isha and talking after it. (Bukhari, no. 568)
He disliked it so that one would not miss the congregational ‘Isha prayer. However, if one is able to perform the ‘Isha prayer in congregation, then sleeping is permissible, as is established from the aforementioned hadith.
In another narration, it is reported from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “If I did not fear hardship for my ummah, I would have delayed the ‘Isha prayer until a third or half of the night had passed.” (Sahih Tirmidhi, no. 141; Sunan Ibn Majah, no. 691)
It is understood from this that performing the ‘Isha prayer with delay is more virtuous. However, this delay should not exceed half the night. Apart from ‘Isha, it is more virtuous to perform the rest of the prayers at their earliest time. Delaying ‘Isha is more virtuous when the followers (muqtadis) are willing to stay awake and do not experience any hardship. If this is not the case, then it is better to perform it at its earliest time. It is also understood that sleeping before the ‘Isha prayer is permissible. Although, in another narration, it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam disliked sleeping before ‘Isha and talking after it. (Bukhari, no. 568)
He disliked it so that one would not miss the congregational ‘Isha prayer. However, if one is able to perform the ‘Isha prayer in congregation, then sleeping is permissible, as is established from the aforementioned hadith.
Source: Musnad Ishaq bin Rahwayh, Page: 206
