In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Narrated Saiyar Bin Salama: I along with my father went to Abu Barza Al-Aslami and my father asked him, “How Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) used to offer the five compulsory congregational prayers?” Abu Barza said, “The Prophet (ﷺ) used to pray the Zuhr prayer which you (people) call the first one at midday when the sun had just declined; the Asr prayer at a time when after the prayer, a man could go to the house at the farthest place in Medina (and arrive) while the sun was still hot. (I forgot about the Maghrib prayer). The Prophet (ﷺ) loved to delay the Isha which you call Al- Atama and he disliked sleeping before it and speaking after it. After the Fajr prayer he used to leave when a man could recognize the one sitting beside him and he used to recite between 60 to 100 Ayat (in the Fajr prayer). [Sahih Al-Bukhaari 547]

Regarding the statement, “The Prophet (ﷺ) loved to delay the Isha which you call Al- Atama and he disliked sleeping before it and speaking after it”, Shaikh Abdullah Al-Bassaam [may Allaah have mercy upon him] stated, “If engaging in conversation (i.e. without a need) is disliked after Isha prayer, even be it permissible and informal friendly speech to pass the night, then what about those who spend the night listening to obscene songs, reading seductive newspapers and novels, and those who are tempted by shameful scenes, sinful films, games that distract and hinder one from remembrance of Allaah and the prayer? And even when Fajr approaches, until when that time of mercy approaches, they fall asleep. Nothing wakes them from their beds except the heat of the sun, the voices of the vendors, and (noise due to) people going about their daily affairs, whilst they have already missed the Fajr congregational prayer; rather they might have even missed its time (i.e. prayed fajr after its time has elapsed). This is a cause of deep sorrow and fatal anguish for a people whose life is wasted in this horrible way, and satan played with them and turned them away from what benefits them to what harms them. It is feared for these people that they may be among those who forgot Allaah, so He made them forget themselves, so the veil of heedlessness is placed upon them and they do not remember except when remembrance does not benefit them (i.e. when the soul reaches the throat at the time of death). [1]

Imaam Ash-Shaafi’ee and His Eagerness For Knowledge at Night:

Imaam Ash-Shaafi’ee and His Eagerness For Knowledge at Night

[1] Tanbeeh Al-Af’haam Wa Tayseer Al-Allaam Sharh Umdatul Ahkaam. Vol 1. page 147]. May Allaah bless my young Salafi brother and friend (Isa Kara) who read to me this beneficial reminder and admonition by Shaikh Abdullaah Al-Bassaam [may Allaah have mercy upon him].