The Messenger of Allah said: "Were it not that it would be too difficult for my Ummah, I would have commanded them to delay the 'Isha'."  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ لَوْلاَ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لأَمَرْتُهُمْ بِتَأْخِيرِ الْعِشَاءِ  

"The Messenger of Allah said: 'Were it not that it would be too difficult for my Ummah, I would have delayed the 'Isha' prayer until one third or one half of the night had passed.'"  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَوْلاَ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لأَخَّرْتُ صَلاَةَ الْعِشَاءِ إِلَى ثُلُثِ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ نِصْفِ اللَّيْلِ  

"Anas bin Malik was asked: 'Did the Prophet wear a ring?' He said: 'Yes.' One night he delayed the 'Isha' prayer until almost the middle of the night. When he had prayed, he turned to face us and said: 'The people have prayed and gone to sleep, but you will still be in a state of prayer so long as you are waiting for the (next) prayer.'" (Sahih)Anas said: "It was as if I can see the sparkle from his ring.'"  

سُئِلَ أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ هَلِ اتَّخَذَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ خَاتَمًا قَالَ نَعَمْ أَخَّرَ لَيْلَةً الْعِشَاءَ الآخِرَةَ إِلَى قَرِيبٍ مِنْ شَطْرِ اللَّيْلِ فَلَمَّا صَلَّى أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْنَا بِوَجْهِهِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ صَلَّوْا وَنَامُوا وَإِنَّكُمْ لَنْ تَزَالُوا فِي صَلاَةٍ مَا انْتَظَرْتُمُ الصَّلاَةَ قَالَ أَنَسٌ كَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى وَبِيصِ خَاتَمِهِ  

"The Messenger of Allah led us for the Maghrib prayer. Then he did not come out until half the night had passed. Then he came out and led them in prayer, then he said: "The people have prayed and gone to sleep, but you are still in a state of prayer so long as you are waiting for the (next) prayer. Were it not for the weak and the sick, I wanted to delay this prayer until the middle of the night.'"  

صَلَّى بِنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَلاَةَ الْمَغْرِبِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَخْرُجْ حَتَّى ذَهَبَ شَطْرُ اللَّيْلِ فَخَرَجَ فَصَلَّى بِهِمْ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ صَلَّوْا وَنَامُوا وَأَنْتُمْ لَمْ تَزَالُوا فِي صَلاَةٍ مَا انْتَظَرْتُمُ الصَّلاَةَ وَلَوْلاَ الضَّعِيفُ وَالسَّقِيمُ أَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ أُؤَخِّرَ هَذِهِ الصَّلاَةَ إِلَى شَطْرِ اللَّيْلِ