fell asleep, then woke up, then fell asleep again, then woke up.” Those who prayed behind him were a large congregation; they had waited a long time and had fallen asleep.
He did not seek further details from anyone. He was not asked, nor did he ask the people: “Did you dream? Were any of you sitting with your buttocks firmly planted? Were any of you leaning against something? Did any of your limbs fall to the ground?” Had the ruling differed according to these circumstances, he would have questioned them. It is well known that all these things occur when such a large gathering waits at night. Women and children also used to pray behind him.
In the two Sahīh collections, ʿĀ’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported:
“One night, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) delayed the ʿIshā’ prayer. He did not come out until ʿUmar ibn al-Khattāb said, ‘The women and children have fallen asleep.’ Then the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) came out and said to those in the mosque, ‘No one else on earth is waiting for this prayer except you.’ This was before Islam had spread among the people.”
Al-Bukhārī included this hadith in the chapter “Women Going to the Mosque at Night and in the Predawn Darkness,” and in the chapter “Sleeping Before ʿIshā’ When Overcome by Sleep.” He also included it in the chapter “Children’s Ablution and Their Attendance at Congregational Prayer,” with the wording:
“No one else on earth offers this prayer except you.”