Aisha reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, held back the evening prayer one night until most people had retired for the night. Then, the Prophet came out and performed the prayer, saying, “Verily, this is the proper time were it not hardship upon my nation.”
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 638
Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Muslim
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ أَعْتَمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ بِالْعِشَاءِ حَتَّى ذَهَبَ عَامَّةُ اللَّيْلِ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَصَلَّى وَقَالَ إِنَّهُ لَوَقْتُهَا لَوْلَا أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمَّتِي
638 صحيح مسلم كتاب المساجد ومواضع الصلاة باب وقت العشاء وتأخيرها