Hadith 39
The Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer
'A'isha reported:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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."
حَدَّثَنِي إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَاتِمٍ، كِلاَهُمَا عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ بَكْرٍ، ح قَالَ وَحَدَّثَنِي هَارُونُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، ح قَالَ وَحَدَّثَنِي حَجَّاجُ بْنُ الشَّاعِرِ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، - وَأَلْفَاظُهُمْ مُتَقَارِبَةٌ - قَالُوا جَمِيعًا عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي الْمُغِيرَةُ بْنُ حَكِيمٍ، عَنْ أُمِّ كُلْثُومٍ بِنْتِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، أَنَّهَا أَخْبَرَتْهُ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ أَعْتَمَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ حَتَّى ذَهَبَ عَامَّةُ اللَّيْلِ وَحَتَّى نَامَ أَهْلُ الْمَسْجِدِ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَصَلَّى فَقَالَ " إِنَّهُ لَوَقْتُهَا لَوْلاَ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي " . وَفِي حَدِيثِ عَبْدِ الرَّزَّاقِ " لَوْلاَ أَنْ يَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي " .
Hadith gradings, numbering and translations can differ between editions. For legal rulings or detailed interpretation, consult qualified scholarship and the referenced edition.