Abu Bakr bin Anas bin Malik says that my father returned from Syria as part of a delegation, and I was with him. We met Mahmood bin Rabee’, who narrated a hadith from Sayyiduna ‘Itbaan bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) to my father. My father said: My dear son! Memorize this hadith because it is among the treasures of hadith. Then, when we returned and went to Madinah, we inquired about him; he was alive and there was an elderly blind man with him. We asked him about the hadith. He said: Yes, during the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), I lost my eyesight, so I said to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): O Messenger of Allah! My eyesight is gone, and I do not have the strength to pray behind you. If you would kindly choose a place in my house for a mosque and pray there, I would make it my prayer place. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Alright, I will come to you in the morning. The next day, after he prayed (Fajr) prayer, he set out towards him until he reached him. In one narration, it is mentioned that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, and Sayyiduna ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) came. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Itbaan! Where would you like me to designate a place for you (for prayer)? He specified a place, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed there. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sat there. In one narration, it is mentioned that they stayed for a meal. When the surrounding Ansar learned (of the Prophet’s arrival), they began to gather until our house was filled. People began to mention the hypocrites and the harm and evil that came from them, until the mention of a man named Malik bin Dukhshum (or Dukhshan or Dukhayshan) came up. People spoke much about him, saying he is such and such, while the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was sitting silently. When the talk became excessive, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Does this person not testify that there is no god but Allah? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked this question three times, to which the people replied: He does recite the kalimah. Upon hearing this, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: By Him Who has sent me with the truth! If he recites this kalimah sincerely from his heart, the Fire will never consume him. People were never as happy with anything as they were with this statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).