His statement, “we would not perform tasbīḥ,” means that we would not offer any voluntary prayers. In other words, eager as we were for prayer, we still did not place it ahead of unloading the baggage and giving the animals a chance to rest.

[Explanation]
These ḥadiths on the etiquettes of travel were gathered by Imām al-Nawawī (may Allah have mercy on him) in Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn. One of the lessons they contain is that the Prophet ﷺ directed his community to travel at night and informed them that the earth is “folded up” for the night traveler—that is, during the darkness he covers a distance he could not cover in the daytime. Nighttime is cooler, so the mounts are more energetic and move faster, and for this reason the Prophet ﷺ expressed the idea by saying that the earth is folded up for the traveler who journeys at night.

Another etiquette is that a group should not disperse when they halt. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to scatter among the valleys and ravines when they camped, so the Prophet ﷺ said, “Your scattering like that is from Satan,” referring to their dispersal. Thereafter they never stopped anywhere without gathering together, for being united is stronger and safer for them. If an enemy were to strike in the stillness of night while they were together, they could defend themselves; but if they were scattered, they would be divided and weakened.

The Prophet ﷺ further commanded kindness toward animals, insisting that a person treat them well and not burden them with more than they can bear.