Ayesha said, "People used to pray in the mosque of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ during the nights of Ramadan in scattered groups. A man who knew some of the Quran would have five or six others with him, or fewer or more, and they would pray behind him."She continued, "One night during Ramadan, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ instructed me to set up a mat for him at the door of my chamber, and I did so. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came out to it after he had prayed the night prayer. Those who were in the mosque gathered around him, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ led them in prayer for a long portion of the night. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ departed and went inside, leaving the mat in its place.When morning came, the people spoke about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ with those who had been in the mosque that night. By evening, the mosque was packed with people. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ led them in the night prayer, then entered his house, while the people remained where they were."She continued, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me, 'What is the matter with the people, Ayesha?'I replied, 'Messenger of Allah, the people heard about your prayer last night with those who were in the mosque, so they have assembled hoping that you will lead them in prayer.'He said, 'Roll up your mat for us, Ayesha.'"She said, "I did so. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ spent the night not unaware of them, and the people remained in their places until the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came out for the morning prayer.He said, 'People, by Allah, praise be to Allah, I did not pass this night of mine unaware, nor was your presence hidden from me. But I feared that this prayer would be made obligatory upon you. So undertake of deeds only what you are able to bear, for Allah does not tire until you tire.'"Ayesha used to say, "The most beloved deeds to Allah are those performed with consistency, even if they are few."
قالت: كان الناس يصلون في مسجد رسول الله ﷺ في رمضان بالليل أوزاعا، يكون مع الرجل شيء القرآن، فيكون معه النفر الخمسة، أو الستة، أو أقل من ذلك، أو أكثر، فيصلون بصلاته. قالت: فأمرني رسول الله ﷺ ليلة من ذلك أن أنصب له حصيرا على باب حجرتي، ففعلت، فخرج إليه رسول الله ﷺ بعد أن صلى العشاء الآخرة. قالت: فاجتمع إليه من في المسجد فصلى بهم رسول الله ﷺ ليلا طويلا، ثم انصرف رسول الله ﷺ فدخل وترك الحصير على حاله، فلما أصبح الناس تحدثوا بصلاة رسول الله ﷺ بمن كان معه في المسجد تلك الليلة قالت: وأمسى المسجد راجا بالناس، فصلي بهم رسول الله ﷺ العشاء الآخرة، ثم دخل بيته وثبت الناس. قالت: فقال لي رسول الله ﷺ: ما شأن الناس يا عائشة؟ قالت: فقلت له: يا رسول الله سمع الناس بصلاتك البارحة بمن كان في المسجد، فحشدوا لذلك لتصلى بهم. قالت: فقال: أطو عنا حصيرك يا عائشة. قالت: ففعلت، وبات رسول الله ﷺ غير غافل، وثبت الناس مكانهم حتى خرج رسول الله ﷺ إلى الصبح. فقالت: فقال: أيها الناس أما والله ما بت والحمد لله- ليلتي هذه غافلا، وما خفي علي مكانكم، ولكني تخوفت أن يفترض عليكم، فاكلفوا من الأعمال ما تطيقون، فإن الله لا يمل حتى تملوا. قال: وكانت عائشة تقول: إن أحب الأعمال إلى الله أدومها وإن قل.
Ahmad (26307) and Tabarani in Awsat (5277) both narrated it from the hadith of Muhammad bin Ishaq, who said, Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Harith Taymi narrated to me, from Abu Salama bin Abdul-Rahman bin Awf, from Ayesha, and he related it. Its chain is hasan because of Muhammad bin Ishaq, except that he erred in claiming that the Prophet ﷺ "prayed for only one night." Tabarani said, "No one narrated this hadith from Muhammad bin Ibrahim Taymi except Muhammad bin Ishaq, and Muhammad bin Salama Harrani transmitted it alone." I say, it is not as he said, for Muhammad bin Ishaq was corroborated by Muhammad bin Amr, who is Laythi, in the basic account of the story.Imam Ahmad (26038) narrated it from Muaz, who said, Muhammad bin Amr informed us, from Abu Salama, from Ayesha. It contains, "Then on the second night they increased in number, so he looked out at them and said, 'Take on only the deeds you are able to bear, for Allah does not grow weary until you grow weary.'" Muhammad bin Amr is another one who erred in his statement "the second night," for what is sahih and firmly established is that the Prophet ﷺ prayed with the people for "three nights," as already mentioned in the hadith of Ayesha.