Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … Islam desires the honoring and compassion of humanity, and it is this very desire that necessitates honoring the guest, welcoming him with a cheerful face, hosting him according to one’s capacity and with gladness, and taking care of his comfort and ease. Islam has not only emphasized hospitality, but has also prescribed all its etiquettes. And where hospitality has been declared a requirement of faith in Allah and the Last Day, there the guest has also been warned not to stay with his host so long that he becomes burdensome to him. In any case, shirking hospitality deprives one of goodness and virtue; the guest becomes a means of goodness and blessing. When Sayyiduna Abu Talhah radi Allahu anhu and his wife fulfilled the right of hosting the guest of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam by keeping themselves and their children hungry, Allah Ta‘ala smiled at their manner of hospitality and revealed these verses: {وَیُؤثِرُوْنَ عَلٰی اَنْفُسِھِمْ وَلَوْکَانَ بِھِمْ خَصَاصَۃٌ وَمَنْ یُّوْقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِہِ فَأُولٓئِکَ ھُمُ الْمُفْلِحُوْنَ} (Surah al-Hashr: 9) … “and they give [others] preference over themselves, even though they are in need. And whoever is saved from the greed of his soul, it is those who will be successful.” (al-Sahihah: 3272)

What greater felicity can there be than that Allah Ta‘ala marvels at a servant’s deed and smiles, and mentions it in His Speech for all time? Therefore, in order to attain the pleasure of Allah, we should serve the guest with generosity, not fearing poverty or hunger; Allah Ta‘ala will open the doors of goodness and blessing. Reflect that the person deprived of the quality of hospitality has been declared by the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam as deprived of blessing and goodness.

Respected readers! It should be firmly understood that we make great distinctions in our hospitality based on acquaintance or lack thereof. For example, one guest is served with great formality, another is put off with some excuse, a third is considered so inferior that even offering him tea is not deemed acceptable, and for some, it is not considered appropriate to even come out of the house, and sending a message through a child or servant is considered sufficient.

Friends! Why is there this difference? Is it not because you already had friendship with the first, some acquaintance with the second, and the third was a stranger?

Does the name of Allah Ta‘ala and the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam appear in such hospitality? Has the bond of Islam been kept in view? Are these services to the guest truly for his being a guest, or due to personal relationship? We should refrain from such manners of hospitality; these are mere exchanges of smiles and worldly dealings.