Compiled by Imam Muhammad al-Bukhari
وَقَالَ الْمَكِّيُّ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ،. وَحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي سَالِمٌ أَبُو النَّضْرِ، مَوْلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ بُسْرِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ احْتَجَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حُجَيْرَةً مُخَصَّفَةً أَوْ حَصِيرًا، فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصَلِّي فِيهَا، فَتَتَبَّعَ إِلَيْهِ رِجَالٌ وَجَاءُوا يُصَلُّونَ بِصَلاَتِهِ، ثُمَّ جَاءُوا لَيْلَةً فَحَضَرُوا وَأَبْطَأَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْهُمْ، فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ إِلَيْهِمْ فَرَفَعُوا أَصْوَاتَهُمْ وَحَصَبُوا الْبَابَ، فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ مُغْضَبًا فَقَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَا زَالَ بِكُمْ صَنِيعُكُمْ حَتَّى ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ سَيُكْتَبُ عَلَيْكُمْ، فَعَلَيْكُمْ بِالصَّلاَةِ فِي بُيُوتِكُمْ، فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ صَلاَةِ الْمَرْءِ فِي بَيْتِهِ، إِلاَّ الصَّلاَةَ الْمَكْتُوبَةَ ".
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) made a small room (with a palm leaf mat). Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came out (of his house) and prayed in it. Some men came and joined him in his prayer. Then again the next night they came for the prayer, but Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) delayed and did not come out to them. So they raised their voices and knocked the door with small stones (to draw his attention). He came out to them in a state of anger, saying, "You are still insisting (on your deed, i.e. Tarawih prayer in the mosque) that I thought that this prayer (Tarawih) might become obligatory on you. So you people, offer this prayer at your homes, for the best prayer of a person is the one which he offers at home, except the compulsory (congregational) prayer."