It is narrated from Hazrat Mu'adh bin Jabal, he says: One day we waited a long time for the arrival of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) for the 'Isha prayer, but he delayed so much that a man said, "He will not come." Just then, the Prophet arrived, and a man said, "O Messenger of Allah! We thought that you had already performed the prayer and would not come now." The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Offer this prayer in the darkness, for you have been given superiority over all other nations because of this prayer; the nations before you did not offer this prayer."

Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both of them) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) once delayed the ‘Isha prayer one night. When he arrived, drops of water were dripping from his blessed head. He said,“If I did not fear hardship for my Ummah, I would have fixed this time for this prayer.”

A man from Juhainah narrates that I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): When should I perform the Isha prayer? He replied: When the night has reached into every valley, then perform it at that time.

Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Ubaid narrates from his father that we used to offer the Maghrib prayer with Hazrat Nu'man bin Bashir; our last person would not have left the mosque yet when the time for Isha would arrive.

Hazrat Umar says: Offer the Isha prayer early, before the laborer becomes sluggish and the sick person falls asleep.

It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: The heaviest prayers upon the hypocrites are the Fajr and Isha prayers. If they knew what reward lies in Isha and Fajr, they would come crawling on their knees. My heart wishes that I order the prayer to be established, then appoint someone to lead the prayer, then I go with some people to those who do not attend the prayer, and then burn their houses down.

Hazrat Ubayy bin Ka'b narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, once led us in prayer. When he finished the prayer, he noticed that some people were missing from the mosque. Upon this, he said, "Is so-and-so present?" We replied, "Yes." He continued until he had mentioned three men by name. Then he said, "There is no prayer heavier on the hypocrites than the 'Isha and Fajr prayers. If they knew the reward for them, they would come to the mosque even if they had to crawl on their knees."

Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said that when we did not see a person in the Isha or Fajr prayer, we used to think badly of him.

Hazrat Abu Umair bin Anas says that my Ansari uncle narrated to me that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "The hypocrites do not come to the 'Isha and Fajr prayers."

Hazrat Ibn Abi Laila reports that Hazrat Abu Darda said during his illness of death, "Will you not lift me up from here?" So the people lifted him up and took him out. Then he said, "Listen carefully and inform those who come after you: Take care of these two prayers: Isha and Fajr. If you knew what is in these two prayers, you would come to them crawling on your knees and elbows."