Nasai

532. Commentary:

➊ "The people slept." The sleep referred to here is that in which consciousness and awareness are not lost, which in our language is called dozing (drowsiness), i.e., a deep drowsiness overcame them. This state can occur while sitting, standing, or lying down, because here it does not seem correct to take it as real sleep in which awareness and human consciousness are lost, since in that case ablution (wudu) would be nullified, regardless of the position in which it occurs.

➋ The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) came after performing ritual bath (ghusl) and was squeezing water from his hair, which was indicated by Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhuma) and Ata (rahimahullah) through gestures and clarified in detail by passing the hand. Water is squeezed from long hair in this manner.

➌ "If there was no fear..." It appears that if the followers (muqtadis) would face hardship due to delay, then it is recommended (mustahabb) to perform the prayer quickly; otherwise, it is better to delay it. The expansiveness of prayer times is, in fact, in consideration of people's necessities. And Allah knows best.

➍ The pious predecessors (salaf salihin) used to be diligent in performing prayers at their earliest and most virtuous times.

➎ It is obligatory for the mufti to adorn his fatwa with evidences from the Qur'an and Sunnah, and it is necessary for the questioner to listen to the answer with utmost attention and concentration so that he may understand it well and convey it properly to others. (6) The virtue of the Ummah of Muhammad is that the 'Isha prayer has been made exclusive to this Ummah, as is mentioned in the narration of Sunan Abu Dawud: «فإنکم قد فضلتم بھا علی سائر الامم ولم تصلھا امة قبلکم» "Indeed, you have been given superiority over all nations through this prayer ('Isha); no nation before you has performed this prayer." [سنن أبی داود ، الصلاة ، حدیث : 421]

Hadith Glossary:
(1)
خِلْوًا:
That is, alone,
by oneself,
individually.
(2)
اِسْتَثَبْتُ:
I investigated thoroughly,
I verified.
(3)
صَبَّهَا:
He tilted it,
lowered it.
(4)
لَايَقْصرُوَلَا يَبْطِشُ:
He neither delayed nor acted hastily,
literally: he neither fell short nor seized,
the meaning is that he passed his fingers over the head with moderation and squeezed out the water.

Benefits and Issues:
(1)
From the ahadith, the compassion and love of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) for the ummah is evident, and it shows his desire and wish that ease and convenience for his ummah were dear to him. He would strive to keep them safe from hardship and difficulty. Despite this, if the ummah finds Islamic rulings and instructions difficult or neglects to act upon them, then what can be done except to feel regret?
(2)
From the narrations regarding the delay of the ‘Isha prayer, it is also established that if a person falls asleep while sitting, his ablution (wudu) is not nullified unless he feels that wind has exited from him.
(3)
According to the consensus of the four Imams, it is better to delay the ‘Isha prayer, but it is necessary to consider the condition of the worshippers. If the delay causes difficulty or inconvenience for the worshippers, then the path of moderation and balance should be adopted.
(4)
To infer from these ahadith that Allah Ta‘ala sends the Prophet with the authority to declare things lawful or unlawful, or to make things obligatory or forbidden as he wishes, and that it is the Prophet’s position to declare whatever he wants as obligatory or forbidden, is not correct. Whatever the Messenger says, he says as the representative of Allah Ta‘ala; every command of his is subject to Allah’s pleasure. This principle itself has been stated in the Noble Qur’an:
(وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ) (al-Najm)
If he were independent,
then: ﴿مَا كَانَ لِنَبِيٍّ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ أَسْرَى﴾ (al-Anfal)
﴿مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَن يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ﴾ (Surah Tawbah)
﴿عَفَااللَّهُ عَنْكَ لِمَ أَذِنْتَ لَهُمْ﴾ (Surah Tawbah)
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ لِمَ تُحَرِّمُ مَا أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ لَكَ ۖ﴾ (Tahrim)
—these admonitions would not have been necessary. Then what would be the meaning of:
﴿إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّـهِ ۚ أَمَرَ﴾? The real matter is that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is a messenger, and he explains and clarifies this message through his words and actions in the light of Allah Ta‘ala’s clear and hidden revelation. If, by way of ijtihad, something contrary to Allah Ta‘ala’s will occurs, he is immediately informed of it. Therefore, in terms of outcome and result, every statement and action of his is, for the ummah, obligatory to follow without excuse or objection, and no kind of reservation is permissible in the heart regarding it.
The Lawgiver in reality is Allah Ta‘ala; the Messenger is the intermediary between the servants and Allah Ta‘ala. Without the Messenger, it is not possible to know Allah Ta‘ala’s will and intent.
Therefore, obedience to the Messenger is in fact obedience to Allah Ta‘ala; without obedience to the Messenger, obedience to Allah Ta‘ala is not possible.