And the Prophet (peace be upon him) informing his Ummah that they will always remain upon goodness and virtue; they will remain firm upon the natural disposition as long as they do not delay the Maghrib prayer until the stars are densely gathered.

Hazrat Mirthad bin Abdullah Yazni (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Sayyiduna Ayub (may Allah be pleased with him) came to us while engaging in jihad, and at that time the governor of Egypt was Sayyiduna Uqbah bin Amir (may Allah be pleased with him). He (Uqbah) performed the Maghrib prayer late, so Sayyiduna Abu Ayub (may Allah be pleased with him) went to him and said, "O Uqbah, which prayer is this?" He replied, "We were occupied (that is why it was delayed)." So he said, "By Allah, I have no difficulty except that people will assume that you saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performing (the prayer) delayed in this manner. I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'My Ummah will remain upon goodness, or he said, upon the natural disposition (fitrah), as long as they do not delay the Maghrib prayer until the stars are densely gathered.' These are the words of the narration of Duraqi. In the narration of Mu’ammal and Afzal bin Ya’qub, it is stated: 'Did you not hear the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say that my Ummah will always remain upon goodness...?' Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates the above-mentioned narration through the chain of Muhammad bin Musa Harshi, and said: 'Did you not hear the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "My Ummah will always remain upon goodness or upon the natural disposition as long as they do not delay the Maghrib prayer until the stars are densely gathered?"' He replied, 'Why not (I have heard it).'

Sayyiduna Abbas bin Muttalib رضي الله عنه narrates from the Noble Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم that he صلى الله عليه وسلم said: "My Ummah will always remain upon the natural disposition as long as they do not delay the Maghrib prayer until the stars gather together." Imam Abu Bakr رحمه الله says that in the statement of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, "My Ummah will always remain in goodness as long as they do not delay the Maghrib prayer until the stars gather together," there is evidence that in the hadith of Abdullah bin Amr bin As, the statement of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, "The time of Maghrib prayer lasts until the redness of the horizon spreads and intensifies," the gathering of the stars occurs much before the disappearance of the twilight. After the gathering of the stars and before the disappearance of the twilight, many rak‘ahs, more than four, can be performed.