The Messenger of Allah ﷺ once delayed the night prayer until nearly a third of the night had passed, or close to it. Then he came out and found the people sparse and gathered in small groups. He became extremely angry and said, "If a man were to call the people to a meaty bone or to two sheep's hooves, they would respond to him, yet they hold back from this prayer. I have a mind to order a man to lead the people in prayer, then I would go to the houses of those who stay away from this prayer and burn them down upon their occupants with fire."
حدثنا عفان حدثنا حماد بن سلمة عن عاصم بن بهدلة عن أبي صالح
أن رسول الله ﷺ أخر العشاء الآخرة ذات ليلة حتى كاد يذهب ثلث الليل أو قرابه قال ثم جاء وفي الناس رقة وهم عزون فغضب غضبا شديدا ثم قال لو أن رجلا بدا الناس إلى عرق أو مرماتين لأجابوا له وهم يتخلفون عن هذه الصلاة لقد هممت أن آمر رجلا فيتخلف على أهل هذه الدور الذين يتخلفون عن هذه الصلاة فأحرقها عليهم بالنيران
Its chain of transmission is sahih. It occurred earlier with the same meaning in 2/376, and it is found in Muslim with wording close to it, 1/451, no. 651, in the Book of Mosques, chapter on the merit of praying in congregation.His saying "riqqah" means weakness, and "izeen" means scattered groups. "Irq" means a bone with meat on it, and "mirmatayn" is the dual of "mirmaah," which is the cleft of a sheep's hoof, though it has also been said that "mirmaah" is the she-camel.