That he was informed by ʿAisha, "Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out in the middle of the night and prayed in the mosque and some men prayed behind him. In the morning, the people spoke about it and then a large number of them gathered and prayed behind him (on the second night). In the next morning the people again talked about it and on the third night the mosque was full with a large number of people. Messenger of Allah ﷺ came out and the people prayed behind him. On the fourth night the Mosque was overwhelmed with people and could not accommodate them, but the Prophet ﷺ came out (only) for the morning prayer. When the morning prayer was finished he recited Tashah-hud and (addressing the people) said, "Amma ba'du, your presence was not hidden from me but I was afraid lest the night prayer (Qiyam) should be enjoined on you and you might not be able to carry it on." So, Allah's Apostle died and the situation remained like that (i.e. people prayed individually). "  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ خَرَجَ لَيْلَةً مِنْ جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ فَصَلَّى فِي الْمَسْجِدِ وَصَلَّى رِجَالٌ بِصَلاَتِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ فَتَحَدَّثُوا فَاجْتَمَعَ أَكْثَرُ مِنْهُمْ فَصَلَّوْا مَعَهُ فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ فَتَحَدَّثُوا فَكَثُرَ أَهْلُ الْمَسْجِدِ مِنَ اللَّيْلَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَصَلَّى فَصَلَّوْا بِصَلاَتِهِ فَلَمَّا كَانَتِ اللَّيْلَةُ الرَّابِعَةُ عَجَزَ الْمَسْجِدُ عَنْ أَهْلِهِ حَتَّى خَرَجَ لِصَلاَةِ الصُّبْحِ فَلَمَّا قَضَى الْفَجْرَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ فَتَشَهَّدَ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَخْفَ عَلَىَّ مَكَانُكُمْ وَلَكِنِّي خَشِيتُ أَنْ تُفْتَرَضَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَتَعْجِزُوا عَنْهَا فَتُوُفِّيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَالأَمْرُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came out during the night and observed prayer in the mosque and some of the people prayed along with him. When it was morning the people talked about this and so a large number of people gathered there. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out for the second night, and they (the people) prayed along with him. When it was morning the people began to talk about it. So the mosque thronged with people on the third night. He (the Holy Prophet) came out and they prayed along with him. When it was the fourth night, the mosque was filled to its utmost capacity but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not come out. Some persons among then cried:" Prayer." But the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not come to them till he came out for the morning prayer. When he had completed the morning prayer, he turned his face to the people and recited Tashahhud (I bear testi- mony that there is no god but Allah and I bear testimony that Muhammad is His Messen- ger) and then said: Your affair was not hidden from me in the night, but I was afraid that (my observing prayer continuously) might make the night prayer obligatory for you and you might be unable to perform it.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ خَرَجَ مِنْ جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ فَصَلَّى فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَصَلَّى رِجَالٌ بِصَلاَتِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ يَتَحَدَّثُونَ بِذَلِكَ فَاجْتَمَعَ أَكْثَرُ مِنْهُمْ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي اللَّيْلَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ فَصَلَّوْا بِصَلاَتِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ يَذْكُرُونَ ذَلِكَ فَكَثُرَ أَهْلُ الْمَسْجِدِ مِنَ اللَّيْلَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ فَخَرَجَ فَصَلَّوْا بِصَلاَتِهِ فَلَمَّا كَانَتِ اللَّيْلَةُ الرَّابِعَةُ عَجَزَ الْمَسْجِدُ عَنْ أَهْلِهِ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ إِلَيْهِمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَطَفِقَ رِجَالٌ مِنْهُمْ يَقُولُونَ الصَّلاَةَ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ إِلَيْهِمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَتَّى خَرَجَ لِصَلاَةِ الْفَجْرِ فَلَمَّا قَضَى الْفَجْرَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ ثُمَّ تَشَهَّدَ فَقَالَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَخْفَ عَلَىَّ شَأْنُكُمُ اللَّيْلَةَ وَلَكِنِّي خَشِيتُ أَنْ تُفْرَضَ عَلَيْكُمْ صَلاَةُ اللَّيْلِ فَتَعْجِزُوا عَنْهَا  

[Machine] "Aisha narrated: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out one night during the middle of the night and prayed in the mosque. Some men joined him in his prayer. When the people talked about it in the morning, saying that the Prophet ﷺ had gone out and prayed in the mosque during the middle of the night, the next night more people gathered than the previous night. Aisha said: The Prophet ﷺ went out during the middle of the night and prayed, and they prayed with him. Then it was morning, and they talked about it. The third night, a large number of people gathered, to the point where the mosque could not accommodate them all. Aisha said: The Prophet ﷺ went out during the middle of the night and prayed, and they prayed with him. When the fourth night came, the people gathered until the mosque could not accommodate its people. The Prophet ﷺ sat, but did not go out to them. Aisha said: I heard some of them saying that the prayer had started, but the Prophet ﷺ did not come out to join them. When he finished the Fajr prayer and gave the salam, he stood amongst the people, recited the Tashahhud and then said: 'Now, it was not that I missed out on your matter last night, but I feared that it may become obligatory upon you and you would be unable to fulfill it.'"  

عَائِشَةُ خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ لَيْلَةً مِنْ جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ فَصَلَّى فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَثَابَ رِجَالٌ فَصَلَّوْا مَعَهُ بِصَلَاتِهِ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ تَحَدَّثُوا أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ قَدْ خَرَجَ فَصَلَّى فِي الْمَسْجِدِ مِنْ جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ فَاجْتَمَعَ اللَّيْلَةَ الْمُقْبِلَةَ أَكْثَرُ مِنْهُمْ قَالَتْ فَخَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ مِنْ جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ فَصَلَّى وَصَلَّوْا مَعَهُ بِصَلَاتِهِ ثُمَّ أَصْبَحَ فَتَحَدَّثُوا بِذَلِكَ فَاجْتَمَعَ اللَّيْلَةَ الثَّالِثَةَ نَاسٌ كَثِيرٌ حَتَّى كَثُرَ أَهْلُ الْمَسْجِدِ قَالَتْ فَخَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ مِنْ جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ فَصَلَّى فَصَلَّوْا مَعَهُ فَلَمَّا كَانَتِ اللَّيْلَةُ الرَّابِعَةُ اجْتَمَعَ النَّاسُ حَتَّى كَادَ الْمَسْجِدُ يَعْجَزُ عَنْ أَهْلِهِ فَجَلَسَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ قَالَتْ حَتَّى سَمِعْتُ نَاسًا مِنْهُمْ يَقُولُونَ الصَّلَاةَ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ إِلَيْهِمُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَلَمَّا صَلَّى صَلَاةَ الْفَجْرِ سَلَّمَ ثُمَّ قَامَ فِي النَّاسِ فَتَشَهَّدَ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَخْفَ عَلَيَّ شَأْنُكُمُ اللَّيْلَةَ وَلَكِنِّيخَشِيتُ أَنْ تُفْرَضَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَتَعْجَزُوا عَنْهَا  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out one night in Ramadan and prayed in the mosque. Some men prayed behind him. The people spoke about it and more of them gathered. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out again and they prayed behind him. The people talked about it again. The people of the mosque gathered on the third night. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out and they prayed behind him. On the fourth night, the mosque was crowded, but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not go out to them except for the Fajr prayer. After the Fajr prayer, he faced the people and made the testimony of faith, then he said, "It was not hidden from me your presence, but I feared that it would be made obligatory upon you, and you would be unable to fulfill it." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ encouraged them to stand in prayer during the month of Ramadan without imposing it on them. He said, "Whoever stands in prayer during Ramadan out of faith and seeking reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out, and this practice continued during the caliphates of Abu Bakr, Umar, and thereafter.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ خَرَجَ لَيْلَةً فِي رَمَضَانَ فَصَلَّى فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَصَلَّى رِجَالٌ وَرَاءَهُ بِصَلَاتِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ فَتَحَدَّثُوا بِذَلِكَ فَاجْتَمَعَ أَكْثَرَهُمْ مِنْهُمْ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الثَّانِيَةَ فَصَلَّوْا بِصَلَاتِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ فَتَحَدَّثُوا بِذَلِكَ فَاجْتَمَعَ أَهْلُ الْمَسْجِدِ لَيْلَةَ الثَّالِثَةِ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَصَلَّوْا بِصَلَاتِهِ فَلَمَّا كَانَتِ اللَّيْلَةُ الرَّابِعَةُ عَجَزَ الْمَسْجِدُ عَنْ أَهْلِهِ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ إِلَيْهِمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَّا لِصَلَاةِ الْفَجْرِ فَلَمَّا قُضِيَتْ صَلَاةُ الْفَجْرِ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ فَتَشَهَّدَ ثُمَّ قَالَ «أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَخْفَ عَلَيَّ مَكَانُكُمْ وَلَكِنِّي خَشِيتُ أَنْ تُفْرَضَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَتَقْعُدُوا عَنْهَا» وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُرَغِّبُهُمْ فِي قِيَامِ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَأْمُرَهُمْ بِقَضَاءِ أَمْرٍ فِيهِ يَقُولُ «مَنْ قَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ» فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَالْأَمْرُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ كَانَ الْأَمْرُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ فِي خِلَافَةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَصَدْرًا مِنْ خِلَافَةِ عُمَرَ رِضْوُانُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِمْ أَجْمَعِينَ  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came out during the night and observed prayer in the mosque and some of the people prayed along with him. When it was morning the people talked about this and so a large number of people gathered there. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out for the second night, and they (the people) prayed along with him. When it was morning the people began to talk about it. So the mosque thronged with people on the third night. He (the Holy Prophet) came out and they prayed along with him. When it was the fourth night, the mosque was filled to its utmost capacity but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not come out. Some persons among then cried:" Prayer." But the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not come to them till he came out for the morning prayer. When he had completed the morning prayer, he turned his face to the people and recited Tashahhud (I bear testi- mony that there is no god but Allah and I bear testimony that Muhammad is His Messen- ger) and then said: Your affair was not hidden from me in the night, but I was afraid that (my observing prayer continuously) might make the night prayer obligatory for you and you might be unable to perform it. (Using translation from Muslim 761b)  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ خَرَجَ فِي جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ فَصَلَّى فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَصَلَّى رِجَالٌ بِصَلَاتِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ يَتَحَدَّثُونَ بِذَلِكَ فَاجْتَمَعَ أَكْثَرُ مِنْهُمْ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي اللَّيْلَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ فَصَلَّى فَصَلَّوْا بِصَلَاتِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ يَتَذَاكَرُونَ ذَلِكَ فَكَثُرَ أَهْلُ الْمَسْجِدِ فِي اللَّيْلَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ فَخَرَجَ فَصَلَّى بِهِمْ فَصَلَّوْا بِصَلَاتِهِ فَلَمَّا كَانَتِ اللَّيْلَةُ الرَّابِعَةُ عَجَزَ الْمَسْجِدُ عَنْ أَهْلِهِ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَطَفِقَ رِجَالٌ مِنْهُمْ يَقُولُونَ الصَّلَاةَ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ إِلَيْهِمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَتَّى خَرَجَ لِصَلَاةِ الْفَجْرِ فَلَمَّا قَضَى الْفَجْرَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ ثُمَّ تَشَهَّدَ فَقَالَ «أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَخْفَ عَلَيَّ شَأْنُكُمُ اللَّيْلَةَ وَلَقَدْ خَشِيتُ أَنْ تُفْرَضَ عَلَيْكُمْ صَلَاةُ اللَّيْلِ فَتَعْجِزُوا عَنْهَا»  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came out during the night and observed prayer in the mosque and some of the people prayed along with him. When it was morning the people talked about this and so a large number of people gathered there. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out for the second night, and they (the people) prayed along with him. When it was morning the people began to talk about it. So the mosque thronged with people on the third night. He (the Holy Prophet) came out and they prayed along with him. When it was the fourth night, the mosque was filled to its utmost capacity but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not come out. Some persons among then cried:" Prayer." But the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not come to them till he came out for the morning prayer. When he had completed the morning prayer, he turned his face to the people and recited Tashahhud (I bear testi- mony that there is no god but Allah and I bear testimony that Muhammad is His Messen- ger) and then said: Your affair was not hidden from me in the night, but I was afraid that (my observing prayer continuously) might make the night prayer obligatory for you and you might be unable to perform it. (Using translation from Muslim 761b)  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ خَرَجَ مِنْ جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَصَلَّى رِجَالٌ بِصَلَاتِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ يَتَحَدَّثُونَ بِذَلِكَ فَاجْتَمَعَ أَكْثَرُ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي اللَّيْلَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ فَصَلَّوْا بِصَلَاتِهِ فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ يَتَذَاكَرُونَ ذَلِكَ فَكَثُرَ أَهْلُ الْمَسْجِدِ مِنَ اللَّيْلَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ فَخَرَجَ يُصَلِّي بِهِمْ فَصَلَّوْا بِصَلَاتِهِ فَلَمَّا كَانَتِ اللَّيْلَةُ الرَّابِعَةُ عَجَزَ الْمَسْجِدُ عَنْ أَهْلِهِ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَتَّى خَرَجَ لِصَلَاةِ الْفَجْرِ فَلَمَّا قَضَى الْفَجْرَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ ثُمَّ تَشَهَّدَ فَقَالَ «أَمَّا بَعْدُ إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَخْفَ عَلَيَّ شَأْنُكُمُ اللَّيْلَةَ وَلَكِنِّي خَشِيتُ أَنْ تُفْرَضَ عَلَيْكُمْ صَلَاةُ اللَّيْلِ فَتَعْجِزُوا عَنْهَا»