Adab al-Mufrad

Benefits and Issues:
➊ The meaning of the hadith is that it is necessary for a Muslim to do good to his neighbor. Goodness and benevolence mean that even if he does not treat you well, you should still treat him well, share in his sorrows and pains, and if he is in need of financial assistance, then cooperate with him financially; that is, try to bring every good to him and try to keep every harm away from him. Similarly, it is obligatory upon the people of faith to honor their guest. Honoring means to meet him with a cheerful face, give him time, and, according to one's ability, arrange good food for him. On the first day, serve him a special meal, show excellent hospitality for three days, and after that, if one has the means, whatever is spent on him will be considered charity. It is the right of one Muslim over another that he should host him. If he falls short in this, this right can even be obtained through legal action. In Europe and similar places, there is no custom of hospitality; rather, they adhere to the principle of "everyone eats for himself." This is evidence of their worldliness and lack of good character. They consider it a burden, whereas in Islam it is a virtue, and the money spent on a guest is rewarded by Allah. Islamic teachings go so far as to say that you may sleep hungry yourself, but you must certainly host your guest. And only a Muslim can do this. It is inappropriate to differentiate between those you know and those you do not know when it comes to guests; however, the level of hospitality can be adjusted according to the status of the guests. It is also necessary for the guest to be considerate of the host and to eat with patience and gratitude whatever is presented to him. He should not make unreasonable demands that put the host in difficulty, nor should he stay so long that the host becomes weary. The tongue is that part of the body for which, if one controls it, Paradise is guaranteed; and if it is left unchecked, it will throw one headlong into Hell. A single word uttered by this tongue can plunge one into the depths of Hell, and a word of goodness spoken by it can become the cause of entering Paradise. Therefore, the people of faith are commanded to speak with great thought and care. If one is not able to say a good word, then remaining silent is also a great virtue.

➋ In the hadith, mention is made of faith in Allah and the Last Day, while other requirements of faith are not mentioned. Regarding this, Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah writes that both the beginning and the end have been mentioned in this, meaning that whoever believes that Allah is his Lord, that He created him, and that He will recompense him for his deeds, should do these actions. (Fath al-Bari: 1/446)

➌ "Samt" is more eloquent than "sukut" (silence). Its meaning is to remain silent despite having the ability and power to speak. That is, the people of faith, despite having the power of speech, should remain silent except for words of goodness, and should try their utmost to avoid useless talk. (Sharh Sahih al-Adab al-Mufrad, Husayn bin Uwdah: 1/131)

➍ Good conduct with neighbors, honoring the guest, and remaining silent except for words of goodness have been linked to faith in Allah and the Last Day, which means that if a person does not observe these matters, he should review his faith, for there is a deficiency in it. It is also understood from this that faith increases and decreases; faith increases with righteous deeds and decreases with sin and disobedience.

➎ The judgment regarding a person's faith and Islam will be made based on his outward actions; the matter of the inner self is left to Allah. If the outward actions are in accordance with Islam, he will be considered righteous, and if the outward actions are contrary to the Shariah, he will be considered evil.