‘Itban bin Malik (R.A) was one of the leaders of Banu Salim bin ‘Awf whose homes were close to Quba, near what is known today as the Masjid of Jumu’ah, where the Prophet ﷺ held the Friday prayer before entering Madinah.
The people of Banu ‘Awf were from the tribe of Khazraj, and ‘Itban was the imam of his people in their area of residence. However, eventually his eyesight weakened, and when the floods came, they prevented him from reaching the masjid. He needed to create a prayer space in his home for when he could not go out to his people.
He wished for this area in his home to be blessed by the Prophet’s ﷺ presence and wanted the Prophet to pray there before he prayed there himself. He went to pray the Jumu’ah prayer with the Prophet ﷺ, and presented him with his desire and request.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “I will do it.”
‘Itban said: “The next day, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and Abu Bakr (R.A) came to me after the sun had risen high during the hottest part of the day, meaning on Saturday. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked for permission to enter, and I granted it. He did not sit down before asking, “Where do you want me to pray in your house?”
He pointed to the place where he wanted him to pray. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up, said the takbir, and ‘Itban, his companions, and his family lined up behind him. He prayed two rak’ahs, then ended the prayer with the taslim, and they did so as well.
Jabir said, “When the Messenger intended to leave, I invited him to stay and eat some khazir with us (a type of soup with a small amount of meat that would be eaten with bread) and he accepted the invitation.”
News spread about the Prophet’s ﷺ visit to ‘Itban, and soon many men gathered in the house.
One of the well-known companions from Banu Salim, Malik ibn al Dukhshan was absent from this gathering.
A man asked about him, saying, “What happened to Malik? I do not see him.”
One of them replied, “He is a hypocrite who does not love Allah and His Messenger.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ immediately responded, “Do not say that! Do you not see that he has said, ‘There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah,’ seeking thereby the pleasure of Allah?”
The man replied, “Allah and His Messenger know best. As for us, by Allah, we do not see his affection or his conversations except with the hypocrites!”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Indeed, Allah has forbidden the Fire for anyone who says, ‘There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah,’ seeking thereby the pleasure of Allah.”
The gathering dispersed after the Prophet ﷺ had established that “There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah” serves as a safeguard and protection of one’s faith and honor for the one who says it, and that no one has the right to assume what is within another’s heart and accuse them regarding their religion.
Whoever says it preserves their faith, protects their status, and safeguards their honor; thus, no one should encroach upon that.
The place where the Prophet ﷺ prayed in the home of ‘Itban bin Malik remained a prayer space for Banu Salim ibn ‘Awf, and its location was preserved until 1417 AH (1992), when it was removed during the expansion of one of the roads leading to the Masjid Quba.
‘Itban lived for fifty years, recounting this incident until the time of Mu’awiya (R.A). He enjoyed telling this story and reminiscing about it, never tiring of narrating it and the lessons it contained.
It is a testament to the loyalty of the Prophet ﷺ to his companions, defending their honor in their absence and in their presence. We see it time and again throughout the Seerah.
On another occasion, the Prophet ﷺ ordered ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud (R.A) to bring him something from atop a tree, and as Ibn Mas’ud climbed it, part of his leg was exposed, which was very frail due to his stature, and upon seeing some of the other companions giggle at this, the Prophet ﷺ said:
‘Why are you laughing? ‘Abdullah’s leg is heavier in the balance than the mountain of Uhud.'” [Al Adab al Mufrad]
These are the marks of a true friend.
In a time where teasing and belittling one’s friends is the norm, and where backbiting and gossip are so wide spread, we should strive to uphold this sunnah in our own lives.
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