Stories from Early Islam — Page 126
126 Companions, whether anyone could take the guest home and feed and lodge him. One of the Companions offered to do so. When they reached home, the Companion asked his wife if there was enough food in the house for the guest. His wife replied that there was only a little food in the house which was hardly enough for the children. The Companion said that he had brought with him a guest who had been entrusted to him by the Holy Prophet saw. He asked her to lull the children to sleep and prepare the food for the guest. He told her that when the food was ready he would invite the guest inside, to share it with them. As soon as they sit down, he would manage to put out the light. He suggested that thereafter they should pretend to eat and make sounds as if they were swallowing the food. They acted upon this plan. So the whole family remained hungry while the guest ate to his fill. Next morning both of them went to the mosque. The Holy Prophet saw addressed the host and said, ‘God in heaven smiled over the device which you adopted last night’.