Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَدِيٍّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ حَدَّثَنِي يَزِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي حَبِيبٍ عَنْ مَرْثَدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ قَدِمَ عَلَيْنَا أَبُو أَيُّوبَ وَعُقْبَةُ بْنُ عَامِرٍ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَلَى مِصْرَ فَأَخَّرَ الْمَغْرِبَ فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ أَبُو أَيُّوبَ فَقَالَ مَا هَذِهِ الصَّلَاةُ يَا عُقْبَةُ قَالَ شُغِلْنَا قَالَ أَمَا وَاللَّهِ مَا بِي إِلَّا أَنْ يَظُنَّ النَّاسُ أَنَّكَ رَأَيْتَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَصْنَعُ هَذَا أَمَا سَمِعْتَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ لَا تَزَالُ أُمَّتِي بِخَيْرٍ أَوْ عَلَى الْفِطْرَةِ مَا لَمْ يُؤَخِّرُوا الْمَغْرِبَ إِلَى أَنْ تَشْتَبِكَ النُّجُومُ.
English Translation
Marthad b. Abdullah said: Abu Ayyub came to us, and Uqbah b. Amir was governor of Egypt at that time. He delayed the Maghrib prayer, so Abu Ayyub stood up to him and said, "What is this prayer, O Uqbah?" He said, "We were occupied." He said, "By Allah, my only concern is that people might think you saw the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, do this. Did you not hear the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say, 'My nation will remain in goodness,' or 'upon the natural disposition,' as long as they do not delay the Maghrib until the stars come out thickly?'"