Musnad Ahmad 1153:2288

Ya'qub narrated to us, he said: My father narrated to us, from Ibn Ishaq, he said: Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn al-Harith al-Taymi narrated to me, from Abu Salamah ibn 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awf, from 'Aishah, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who said: The people used to pray in the mosque of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, during Ramadan at night in scattered groups. A man would have some of the Qur'an with him, and there would be with him five or six people, or fewer than that or more, praying by his prayer. She said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ordered me one night of those nights to set up a mat for him at the door of my chamber, and I did so. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came out to it after he had prayed the late night prayer (Isha). She said: Those who were in the mosque gathered to him, and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, prayed with them for a long part of the night. Then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, departed and entered, and left the mat as it was. When the people reached the morning, they spoke of the prayer of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with those who were with him in the mosque that night. She said: The mosque became bustling with people in the evening. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, prayed the late night prayer with them, then entered his house, and the people remained. She said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to me: "What is the matter with the people, O 'Aishah?" She said: I said to him: O Messenger of Allah, the people heard of your prayer last night with those who were in the mosque, so they gathered for that so that you would pray with them. She said: He said: "Fold up your mat from us, O 'Aishah." She said: So I did. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, spent the night not heedless, and the people remained in their places until the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came out for the morning prayer. She said: He said: "O people, by Allah, I did not spend this night of mine heedless, and your presence was not hidden from me, but I feared that it would be made obligatory upon you, and you would be burdened with deeds you cannot bear. For Allah does not grow weary until you grow weary." She said: And 'Aishah used to say: "Indeed, the most beloved of deeds to Allah are those that are most constant, even if they are few."