We waited one night in expectation of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for the last prayer of the night, and he came out to us when a third of the night had passed even after that. We do not know whether he had been occupied with family business or something else. When he came cut he said: You are waiting for prayer, for which the followers of no other religion wait. except you. Were it not a burden for my Ummah, I would have led them (in the 'Isya' prayer) at this hour. He then ordered the Mu'adhdbin (to call for prayer) and then stood up for prayer and observed prayer.  

مَكَثْنَا ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ نَنْتَظِرُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ لِصَلاَةِ الْعِشَاءِ الآخِرَةِ فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْنَا حِينَ ذَهَبَ ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ بَعْدَهُ فَلاَ نَدْرِي أَشَىْءٌ شَغَلَهُ فِي أَهْلِهِ أَوْ غَيْرُ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ حِينَ خَرَجَ إِنَّكُمْ لَتَنْتَظِرُونَ صَلاَةً مَا يَنْتَظِرُهَا أَهْلُ دِينٍ غَيْرُكُمْ وَلَوْلاَ أَنْ يَثْقُلَ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لَصَلَّيْتُ بِهِمْ هَذِهِ السَّاعَةَ ثُمَّ أَمَرَ الْمُؤَذِّنَ فَأَقَامَ الصَّلاَةَ وَصَلَّى  

"We stayed in the Masjid one night waiting for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to pray 'Isha'. He came out to us when one-third of the night or more had passed, and he said when he came out: 'You are waiting for a prayer for which the followers of no other religion are waiting. Were it not that I would impose too much difficulty on my Ummah, I would have led them in prayer at this time.' Then he commanded the Mu'adhdhin to say the Iqamah and he prayed."  

مَكَثْنَا ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ نَنْتَظِرُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ لِعِشَاءِ الآخِرَةِ فَخَرَجَ عَلَيْنَا حِينَ ذَهَبَ ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ بَعْدَهُ فَقَالَ حِينَ خَرَجَ إِنَّكُمْ تَنْتَظِرُونَ صَلاَةً مَا يَنْتَظِرُهَا أَهْلُ دِينٍ غَيْرُكُمْ وَلَوْلاَ أَنْ يَثْقُلَ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لَصَلَّيْتُ بِهِمْ هَذِهِ السَّاعَةَ ثُمَّ أَمَرَ الْمُؤَذِّنَ فَأَقَامَ ثُمَّ صَلَّى  

We remained one night waiting for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to offer the Isha prayer. He came out to us when one-third of the night has passed or even after it. We did not know whether anything kept him occupied or there was some other matter. When he came out, he said: Are you waiting for this prayer ? Were it not that it would impose a burden on my people, I would normally pray with them at this time. He then gave orders to the mu'adhdhin who declared that the time of the prayer had come.  

مَكَثْنَا ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ نَنْتَظِرُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ لِصَلاَةِ الْعِشَاءِ فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْنَا حِينَ ذَهَبَ ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ بَعْدَهُ فَلاَ نَدْرِي أَشَىْءٌ شَغَلَهُ أَمْ غَيْرُ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ حِينَ خَرَجَ أَتَنْتَظِرُونَ هَذِهِ الصَّلاَةَ لَوْلاَ أَنْ تَثْقُلَ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لَصَلَّيْتُ بِهِمْ هَذِهِ السَّاعَةَ ثُمَّ أَمَرَ الْمُؤَذِّنَ فَأَقَامَ الصَّلاَةَ  

"We stayed in the Masjid one night waiting for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to pray 'Isha'. He came out to us when one-third of the night or more had passed, and he said when he came out: 'You are waiting for a prayer for which the followers of no other religion are waiting. Were it not that I would impose too much difficulty on my Ummah, I would have led them in prayer at this time.' Then he commanded the Mu'adhdhin to say the Iqamah and he prayed." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 537)  

مَكَثْنَا ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ نَنْتَظِرُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ لِعِشَاءِ الْآخِرَةِ فَخَرَجَ عَلَيْنَا حِينَ ذَهَبَ ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ بَعْدَهُ فَقَالَ حِينَ خَرَجَ «إِنَّكُمْ تَنْتَظِرُونَ صَلَاةً مَا يَنْتَظِرُهَا أَهْلُ دِينٍ غَيْرُكُمْ وَلَوْلَا أَنْ تَثْقُلَ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لَصَلَّيْتُ بِهِمْ هَذِهِ الصَّلَاةَ هَذِهِ السَّاعَةَ» قَالَ ثُمَّ أَمَرَ الْمُؤَذِّنَ فَأَقَامَ ثُمَّ صَلَّى  

"We stayed in the Masjid one night waiting for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to pray 'Isha'. He came out to us when one-third of the night or more had passed, and he said when he came out: 'You are waiting for a prayer for which the followers of no other religion are waiting. Were it not that I would impose too much difficulty on my Ummah, I would have led them in prayer at this time.' Then he commanded the Mu'adhdhin to say the Iqamah and he prayed." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 537)   

مَكَثْنَا لَيْلَةً نَنْتَظِرُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ لِلْعِشَاءِ الْآخِرَةِ فَخَرَجَ عَلَيْنَا حِينَ ذَهَبَ ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ بَعْدَهُ فَقَالَ حِينَ خَرَجَ إِنَّكُمْ تَنْتَظِرُونَ صَلَاةً مَا يَنْتَظِرُهَا أَهْلُ دِينٍ غَيْرُكُمْ وَلَوْلَا أَنْ يَثْقُلَ عَلَى أُمَّتِي لَصَلَّيْتُ بِهِمْ هَذِهِ السَّاعَةَ قَالَ ثُمَّ أَمَرَ الْمُؤَذِّنَ فَأَقَامَ ثُمَّ صَلَّى