Among the lessons drawn from this report is the point we mentioned earlier: a person should begin with the very task he came for before attending to anything else, for the Prophet first performed the prayer in that spot before sitting down and even before looking at the food that had been prepared for him.

Another benefit is the Prophet’s extraordinary humility. When he had finished the prayer, ʿItbān said, “I detained him for some kharīrah (a simple gruel of no great quality).” In other words, he asked the Prophet to wait until the dish was ready so that he could present it to him—a clear demonstration of the Prophet’s modesty.

A further—and indeed one of the greatest—benefits of this ḥadīth is that whoever says lā ilāha illā Allah (there is no god but Allah), seeking thereby the Face of Allah, is protected from the Fire. The Prophet declared: “Allah has forbidden the Fire to touch anyone who says lā ilāha illā Allah seeking thereby the Face of Allah,” that is, desiring His pleasure alone.

It is self-evident that anyone who utters this phrase sincerely, seeking Allah’s Face, will do everything that brings him closer to Him—obligatory duties as well as voluntary acts. Therefore, this statement is no proof for the indolent and the negligent who protest, “We do say lā ilāha illā Allah, seeking thereby the Face of Allah.” We reply: had you been truthful, you would not have abandoned the acts of worship that are binding upon you.

7/418 — ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: Captives were brought to the Messenger of Allah. A woman among them was rushing about; when she found a child in the group she picked him up, pressed him to her chest, and nursed him. The Messenger of Allah then said, “Do you think this woman would cast her child into …”