Hadith #49

Arabic Text

English Translation

Ḥusayn ibn Muḥammad narrated to us, he said: Jarīr — meaning Ibn Ḥāzim — narrated to us, from ʿAlī ibn Zayd ibn Judʿān, he said: Abū Bakr ibn Anas ibn Mālik narrated to me, he said: My father came from Syria as a delegate and I was with him. We met Maḥmūd ibn al-Rabīʿ, who narrated a hadith to my father about ʿItbān ibn Mālik. My father said: 'O my son, memorize this hadith, for it is among the treasures of hadith.' When we returned to Madīnah, we asked about ʿItbān and found him alive — an old, blind man. We asked him about the hadith. He said: 'Yes, I lost my sight during the time of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ. I said: O Messenger of Allāh, I have lost my sight and cannot pray behind you. If you would designate a place in my house as a mosque and pray in it, I would take it as my prayer spot.' He said: 'Yes, I will come to you tomorrow.' The next day after prayer, he turned to him, came, and said: 'O ʿItbān, where would you like me to designate?' He described a place to him. the Prophet ﷺ designated it and prayed there. Then he stayed — or sat. Word reached the surrounding Anṣār, and they came until the house was full. They mentioned the hypocrites and the harm and evil they caused, until they brought up a man called Mālik ibn al-Dukhshum, talking about his condition. The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ remained silent. When they persisted, the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: 'Does he not testify that there is no deity but Allāh?' The third time they said: 'He does say it.' He said: 'By the One who sent me with the truth, if he says it sincerely from his heart, the Fire will never consume him.' They said they were never happier about anything than what he said.