[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ secluded himself one night until most of the night had passed and the people of the mosque had gone to sleep. Then he went out and prayed it and said, "It is its time, but I did not want to make it difficult for my Ummah."
أَعْتَمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ حَتَّى ذَهَبَ عَامَّةُ اللَّيْلِ وَرَقَدَ أَهْلُ الْمَسْجِدِ فَخَرَجَ فَصَلَّاهَا فَقَالَ «إِنَّهُ لَوَقْتُهَا لَوْلَا أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي»
The Apostle 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 Holy 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."
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 ﷺ 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
"The Prophet ﷺ delayed the prayer one night until most of the night had passed and the people in the Masjid had gone home to sleep, then he went out and prayed, and said: 'This is indeed its (prayer) time, were it not that I would impose too much difficulty on my Ummah.'"
أَعْتَمَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ حَتَّى ذَهَبَ عَامَّةُ اللَّيْلِ وَحَتَّى نَامَ أَهْلُ الْمَسْجِدِ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَصَلَّى وَقَالَ إِنَّهُ لَوَقْتُهَا لَوْلاَ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي
"The Prophet ﷺ delayed the prayer one night until most of the night had passed and the people in the Masjid had gone home to sleep, then he went out and prayed, and said: 'This is indeed its (prayer) time, were it not that I would impose too much difficulty on my Ummah.'" (Using translation from Nasāʾī 536)
أَعْتَمَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ حَتَّى ذَهَبَ عَامَّةُاللَّيْلِ وَحَتَّى نَامَ أَهْلُ الْمَسْجِدِ وَقَالَ ابْنُ بَكْرٍ رَقَدَ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَصَلَّى فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ لَوَقْتُهَا لَوْلَا أَنْ يَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي وَقَالَ ابْنُ بَكْرٍ أَنْ أَشُقَّ
"اهتم رَسُول اللهِ ﷺ ذَاتَ لَيْلَة حَتَّى ذَهَب عَامَّة اللَّيْل، وَحَتَّى نام أَهْل الْمسَجْد، ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَصَلَّى فَقَالَ: إِنَّه لِوَقْتِهَا لَوْلَا أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي".