- Muhammad ibn Yahya narrated to me; he said: ʿAttab ibn Ziyad narrated to us; he said: ʿAbd Allah narrated to us; he said: al-Mufaddal ibn Laḥiq informed us, from Abu Bakr ibn Hafs, who said:
“Ibn ʿUmar would not bar from his food, on the road between Mecca and Medina, a leper, someone with leucoderma, or any person afflicted with illness; he would seat them at his own table. One day, while he was sitting at his meal-spread, two freedmen from the people of Medina arrived. The household welcomed them and made room for them. ʿAbd Allah laughed, and the two freedmen were puzzled by his laughter. They said, ‘Abu ʿAbd al-Raḥman, you laughed—may Allah keep you smiling—what made you laugh?’
He replied, ‘I am amazed at these sons of mine: their mouths are almost bleeding from hunger, yet they begrudge the needy any space and are irritated by their presence. If one of them could occupy the place of two, he would do so, simply to distress them and crowd them out. Then you two come, with more provisions than you need, and they give you ample room and greet you warmly. They serve their food to those who do not want it and withhold it from those who do.’