Yahya related to me from Malik thatYahya ibn Said used to say, "Even if someone manages to pray before the time of the prayer has passed, the time that has passed him by is more important, or better, than his family and wealth."
Yahya said that Malik said, "If the time for a prayer comes and a traveller delays a prayer through neglect or forgetfulness until he reaches his family, he should do that prayer in full if he arrives within the time. But if he arrives when the time has past, he should do the travelling prayer. That way he only repays what he owes."
Malik said, "This is what I have found the people and men of knowledge doing in our community." Malik explained that shafaq was the redness in the sky after the sun had set, and said, "When the redness has gone then the isha prayer is due and you have left the time of maghrib."

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ إِنَّ الْمُصَلِّيَ لَيُصَلِّي الصَّلاَةَ وَمَا فَاتَهُ وَقْتُهَا وَلَمَا فَاتَهُ مِنْ وَقْتِهَا أَعْظَمُ - أَوْ أَفْضَلُ - مِنْ أَهْلِهِ وَمَالِهِ . قَالَ يَحْيَى قَالَ مَالِكٌ مَنْ أَدْرَكَ الْوَقْتَ وَهُوَ فِي سَفَرٍ فَأَخَّرَ الصَّلاَةَ سَاهِيًا أَوْ نَاسِيًا حَتَّى قَدِمَ عَلَى أَهْلِهِ أَنَّهُ إِنْ كَانَ قَدِمَ عَلَى أَهْلِهِ وَهُوَ فِي الْوَقْتِ فَلْيُصَلِّ صَلاَةَ الْمُقِيمِ وَإِنْ كَانَ قَدْ قَدِمَ وَقَدْ ذَهَبَ الْوَقْتُ فَلْيُصَلِّ صَلاَةَ الْمُسَافِرِ لأَنَّهُ إِنَّمَا يَقْضِي مِثْلَ الَّذِي كَانَ عَلَيْهِ . قَالَ مَالِكٌ وَهَذَا الأَمْرُ هُوَ الَّذِي أَدْرَكْتُ عَلَيْهِ النَّاسَ وَأَهْلَ الْعِلْمِ بِبَلَدِنَا . وَقَالَ مَالِكٌ الشَّفَقُ الْحُمْرَةُ الَّتِي فِي الْمَغْرِبِ فَإِذَا ذَهَبَتِ الْحُمْرَةُ فَقَدْ وَجَبَتْ صَلاَةُ الْعِشَاءِ وَخَرَجْتَ مِنْ وَقْتِ الْمَغْرِبِ .