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الفتح الربانی
Fath al-Rabbani
مسائل البر وصلة الرحمIssues of Righteousness and Maintaining Family Ties
بَابُ مَا جَاءَ فِي عَدْمِ التَّكَلُفِ لِلضَّيْفِChapter on what has been narrated regarding not burdening oneself for the guest
Hadith 9091
اُردوEn
عَنْ سَلْمَانَ الْفَارِسِيِّ أَنَّهُ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ فَدَعَا لَهُ بِمَا كَانَ عِنْدَهُ فَقَالَ لَوْلَا أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ نَهَانَا أَوْ لَوْلَا أَنَّا نُهِينَا أَنْ يَتَكَلَّفَ أَحَدُنَا لِصَاحِبِهِ لَتَكَلَّفْنَا لَكَ
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Salman al-Farsi (may Allah be pleased with him) that a man came to him. He presented whatever was available for hospitality and said: If the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had not forbidden us from affectation, or if we had not been forbidden from our companion's affectation, we would have made special arrangements for you.
Brief Explanation
Benefits: … One version of this hadith is narrated as follows: It is narrated from Salman radi Allahu anhu that the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: ((Let no one go to excess for his guest beyond what he is able to do.)) … No person should go to unnecessary lengths for his guest beyond his means. (Sahihah: 2440)
Islam is a religion based on simplicity and reality; there is no room in it for affectation, artificiality, flattery, or sycophancy. Where the Shariah has made hospitality to guests obligatory, it has also instructed to avoid affectation, so that no one considers serving a guest as a burden, and in the case of the host being poor, the food and drink of the household members is not adversely affected.
Shaqiq says that I and a friend of mine went to Salman radi Allahu anhu. He (as a host) presented bread and something salty and said: “If the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam had not forbidden us from affectation, I would have gone to extra effort for you.” My companion said: “If only there were some mountain thyme in our salt dish.” So he sent his ablution vessel to the grocer, pawned it, and brought back some thyme, which he put in it. When we had eaten, my companion said: “All praise is due to Allah who enabled us to be content with what He has provided us.” Salman radi Allahu anhu said: “If you had been content with what you were provided, my vessel would not be pawned with the grocer.” … If the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam had not forbidden affectation, I would have gone to extra effort for you. (Al-Mustadrak al-Hakim: 4/123, Sahihah: 2392)
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade going to excess, and the Companions understood this to mean that whatever is present in the house should be considered sufficient for hosting a guest, and the guest should be content with what is available and not request something of his own preference. However, if someone is persistently asked about his preference, then there is no harm in expressing it.
We are deprived of true mutual love, heedless of the rights of relatives, and give great preference to outward appearances. We should abandon the code of false modesty and relate to Muslims as Muslims, and observe moderation in every matter. For example, if one is unable to buy an expensive drink from the market for a guest arriving in the summer, then serve him a homemade drink such as sherbet, so that the guest is refreshed and the right of hospitality is fulfilled. The same applies to food and other matters.
Islam is a religion based on simplicity and reality; there is no room in it for affectation, artificiality, flattery, or sycophancy. Where the Shariah has made hospitality to guests obligatory, it has also instructed to avoid affectation, so that no one considers serving a guest as a burden, and in the case of the host being poor, the food and drink of the household members is not adversely affected.
Shaqiq says that I and a friend of mine went to Salman radi Allahu anhu. He (as a host) presented bread and something salty and said: “If the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam had not forbidden us from affectation, I would have gone to extra effort for you.” My companion said: “If only there were some mountain thyme in our salt dish.” So he sent his ablution vessel to the grocer, pawned it, and brought back some thyme, which he put in it. When we had eaten, my companion said: “All praise is due to Allah who enabled us to be content with what He has provided us.” Salman radi Allahu anhu said: “If you had been content with what you were provided, my vessel would not be pawned with the grocer.” … If the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam had not forbidden affectation, I would have gone to extra effort for you. (Al-Mustadrak al-Hakim: 4/123, Sahihah: 2392)
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade going to excess, and the Companions understood this to mean that whatever is present in the house should be considered sufficient for hosting a guest, and the guest should be content with what is available and not request something of his own preference. However, if someone is persistently asked about his preference, then there is no harm in expressing it.
We are deprived of true mutual love, heedless of the rights of relatives, and give great preference to outward appearances. We should abandon the code of false modesty and relate to Muslims as Muslims, and observe moderation in every matter. For example, if one is unable to buy an expensive drink from the market for a guest arriving in the summer, then serve him a homemade drink such as sherbet, so that the guest is refreshed and the right of hospitality is fulfilled. The same applies to food and other matters.
