It is disliked for one who has been travelling for a long period to enter upon his wife suddenly at night. However, one whose journey is short and is expected to return at night, then there is no problem in him entering upon her at night.
Ibn Hajar said:
“This narration encourages compassion and love between the spouses. Despite the fact that both spouses know each other very well and none of their shortcomings are concealed, yet Allah commanded that one should not enter upon the wife suddenly at night lest he sees something about her which would be off putting .”
Informing the wife before entering and not doing so suddenly or at a time when he is not expected would give the wife a chance to adorn her-self for her husband and be ready to receive him. Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah narrated that the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “If one of you should happen to return [from a trip] at night, then let him not enter upon his wife at night in order to give a chance for the one who needs to clean herself to do so and the one whose hair is messy to comb it.”
Ibn Hajar said:
“A man who leaves in the morning to work or other needs is not asked to warn or inform his wife about his return since she expects him back at night, unlike the one has been gone for a long period, the latter is addressed by the narration. This is because his wife (the one who was gone for long) feels safe from him returning, and thus would not be ready to receive him, like being untidy or unadorned which could cause a feeling of resentment and disaffection towards one another.”
When a man informs his wife before departure about the time of his return, then she would be expecting him on that day and time. This is another situation in which a man is not addressed with this narration.