Is talking after ‘isha disliked or forbidden?

Speaking after ‘isha without need is disliked; not forbidden. Among the needs [h. which eliminate the disliked-ness from after-‘isha speech] are speaking with one’s wife (because of the comforting that this entails), chatting with one’s guest, or talking about sacred knowledge: none of these are disliked.

Ibn Hajar said in the Tuhfa (along with the Minhaj):

It is disliked to (sleep before it or talk after it) i.e. after the entrance of its time and performing it in it, or [h. after] this quantity [h. of time has passed] if it is prayed early [h. in the time of maghrib]–not before this, according to the stronger (awjah) position. This is because doing so might cause one to miss the night-vigil prayer, or to miss praying the fajr prayer at the first of its time, or missing the fajr prayer altogether. It is also so that one concludes one’s day with the best of actions. Someone who is waiting for a group to repeat his prayer with them and travellers (are excepted), because of the hadith of Ahmad, “There shall be no conversing after ‘isha except for someone who is praying, a traveller, or someone who has an excuse.” [h. Conversing] (about something good) such as sacred knowledge, one of its ancillary disciplines (such as grammar), reading, making remembrance of Allah, remembering the stories of the righteous, making a guest feel comfortable, or a wife during her wedding night, or playing around with her etc. [h. are also excepted and are not disliked] (and Allah knows best). This is because of the rigorously authenticated hadith that “he (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to tell them on most nights about Bani Isra’il,” and because it is a good that will surely be attained, which should not be left for a detriment that is merely possible.

As for the lands mentioned in the question, I have not come across an explicit text about them, but the scholars’ unqualified expression indicates that they are just like other lands. So if the speech and conversation is for a need, then it is not disliked (as mentioned above), but if it is not for a need, then it is disliked, as can be inferred from what has preceded of the Tuhfa when it explains the disliked-ness by saying that it causes one to miss the night-vigil prayer and says that one should conclude one’s day with the best of one’s works.

And Allah knows best about what is correct.

Amjad

[Translated by Sidi Hamza Karamali]

السؤال : هل الكلام بعد العشاء مكروه أم حرام ؟ هل يجوز للشخص أن يتكلم مع زوجته؟ هل هناك حكمٌ خاص بالنسبة للأماكن الشمالية حيث يدخل وقت العشاء مبكراً جداً مثلا الساعة الخامسة والنصف ؟ الجواب : الكلامُ بعد العشاء لغير حاجة مكروه وليس بحرام ، ومن الحاجة الكلامُ مع الزوجة لما في ذلك من الإيناس ، وكذلك مسامرة الضيف والكلام في العلم فكل ذلك ليس بمكروه . قال في “التحفة مع المنهاج” :” ( و ) يكره ( النومُ قبلها والحديثُ بعدها ) أي : بعد دخولِ وقتها وفعلِها فيه أو قدرِه إن جمعها تقديماً لا قبل ذلك على الأوجه ؛ لأنه ربما فوت صلاة الليل أو أول وقت الصبح أو جميعه وليختم عمله بأفضل الأعمال ( إلا ) لمنتظر الجماعة ليعيدها معهم وللمسافر لخبر أحمد: ” لا سمر بعد العشاء إلا لمصل أو مسافر وإلا لعذر “. أو ( في خير ) كعلم شرعي أو آلةٍ له – كالنحو – أو قراءةٍ أو ذكرٍ أو مذاكرةِ آثار الصالحين أو إيناسِ ضيفٍ أو زوجةٍ عند زفافها أو الملاطفةِ بها ونحوِ ذلك ( والله أعلم ) لما صح :” أنه صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يحدثُهم عامةَ ليله عن بني إسرائيل “. ولأنه خيرٌ ناجزٌ فلا يترك لمفسدة متوهمة “. اهـ المقصود منه بحذف وتوضيح . أما بالنسبةُ للبلاد المذكورة في السؤال فلم أقف على نصٍّ فيها ، وإطلاقهم يفيد أنها كغيرها ؛ فإن كان الكلامُ والسمرُ لحاجة فلا يكره كما مرَّ ، وأما إن كان لغير حاجة فيكره أخذاً مما مرَّ في “التحفة” من تعليل الكراهة بتفويت صلاة الليل وقولِهِ ليختم عمله بأفضل الأعمال ، والله أعلم بالصواب