The Conduct of the Prophet ﷺ with His Guests and Hosts
The noble personality of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is the best example for all humanity at every stage of life. Allah Almighty has bestowed a great favor upon the people of the world, especially the believers, by sending him among us. Allah Almighty says:
﴿لَقَدْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ بَعَثَ فِيهِمْ رَسُولًا مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِهِ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَإِن كَانُوا مِن قَبْلُ لَفِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ﴾
Indeed, Allah conferred a great favor upon the Muslims by sending among them a Messenger who recites to them His verses, purifies them, and teaches them the Book and wisdom, while before that they were clearly in error.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, informed us about every kind of goodness and warned against every kind of evil and corruption. As a human being, he himself was the best example in performing good deeds and avoiding evil. Through this writing, I will highlight the aspect of good treatment with guests and hosts from the life of the Prophet, peace be upon him. A guest is called “Dhaif” in Arabic, and a host is called “Mudaif” or “Mustadif,” from which the word “Diyafat” (hospitality) is derived, which we commonly refer to as “invitation” or “banquet.” Here, I will present the example of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, in both inviting to a meal and hosting a meal.
When we look at the aspect of hospitality from the pure life of the Prophet, peace be upon him, he appears as the best example for us in the best possible behavior with his guests and hosts. First, I will clarify his exemplary status in five respects with general evidence, and then I will present specific evidence related to this.
First Status:
The Arab nation is very famous for generosity and hospitality. The Quran mentions in Surah At-Tawbah
the service of the pilgrims by the polytheists, meaning that the disbelievers and polytheists considered serving the pilgrims and feeding and giving them drink as the greatest deed, even greater than faith and jihad. Consider the occasion of revelation of this verse. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Nu’man bin Bashir (RA) that I was sitting near the pulpit of the Prophet (PBUH). One person said, “I do not care about any deed after becoming a Muslim except that I will give water to the pilgrims.” Another said, “What do I care about any deed after Islam? I repair the Masjid al-Haram.” A third said, “These things are inferior to jihad.” Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab (RA) scolded them and said, “Do not shout in front of the Prophet’s (PBUH) pulpit on Friday, but I will ask the Prophet (PBUH) after the Friday prayer.” Regarding this matter on which they differed, Allah revealed the verse, ﴿أَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقَايَةَ الْحَاجِّ وَعِمَارَةَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ كَمَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ﴾, meaning “Do you make the giving of water to the pilgrims and the service of Masjid al-Haram equal to faith and jihad? Never! It is not equal before Allah.”
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was a perfect embodiment of morals, values, and honoring humanity even before prophethood. In fact, hospitality to guests was a prominent aspect of his personality. This is why, when the first revelation came to him in the Cave of Hira, he became fearful and felt his life was in danger. At that time, Sayyida Khadijah (RA) encouraged him and said to him:
كلا، أبشر فوالله لا يخزيك الله أبدا ، فوالله إنك لتصل الرحم ، وتصدق الحديث، وتحمل الكل ، وتكسب المعدوم ، وتقري الضيف ، وتعين على نوائب الحق
“That will never happen. Good news for you, by Allah! Allah will never disgrace you. By Allah! You are the one who maintains kinship ties, you always speak the truth, you bear the burden of the weak and helpless, those who find nothing anywhere else find it with you. You are hospitable and you help people in the face of hardships on the path of truth.”
From this hadith, it is understood that even before receiving prophethood, he was an excellent host.
Second Status:
Hosting people and nations has been the tradition of the Prophets. The Quran mentions the hospitality of several Prophets, such as the command of Allah regarding Sayyidina Ibrahim (peace be upon him):
﴿هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ ضَيْفِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْمُكْرَمِينَ، إِذْ دَخَلُوا عَلَيْهِ فَقَالُوا سَلَامًا ۖ قَالَ سَلَامٌ قَوْمٌ مُّنكَرُونَ، فَرَاغَ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهِ فَجَاءَ بِعِجْلٍ سَمِينٍ، فَقَرَّبَهُ إِلَيْهِمْ قَالَ أَلَا تَأْكُلُونَ﴾
Have you not considered the honored guests of Ibrahim (peace be upon him)? When they came to him, they said, “Peace.” He replied, “Peace,” and said, “You are strangers.” Then he went quickly to his family and brought a fat calf. He placed it before them and said, “Will you not eat?”
Here, Allah has called the guests the guests of Ibrahim, and then as the host, mentions Ibrahim’s lavish hospitality with the fat calf. If you observe carefully, it describes hospitality and the etiquette of hosting with great care and respect. Without asking the guests, Ibrahim (peace be upon him) promptly arranged the best kind of feast for them and, with kindness and affection, presented the food before them, addressing them politely by asking, “Why do you not eat?”
Connect this Quranic incident of hospitality with the hadith in which Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates about the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him):
كان خلقه القرآن
The character of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is the Quran.
It becomes clear that the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) excellently followed the tradition of hospitality of the Prophets.
Third Status:
Honoring guests, hosting and serving them, taking care of them, good conduct, cooperation, and assistance are signs of high values, and our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, possessed the highest standards of morality. In fact, he came to perfect noble morals.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ﴾
And indeed, you are of a great moral character.
And the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
إنما بعثت لأتمم مكارم الأخلاق وفي رواية (صالح) الأخلاق
Translation: I have only been sent to perfect good morals.
That is, he was sent into the world to command people to have the best morals and deeds and to forbid vile traits. This is why he possessed excellent good character to the highest degree. He was extremely compassionate and merciful, kind and sympathetic, and a benefactor and servant of creation. In other words, all praiseworthy qualities related to good treatment and behavior towards guests and hosts were present in him.
Fourth Status:
The personality of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, is the best example for mankind, and the one who is an example for people is the most perfect among them. Allah says:
﴿لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا﴾
Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have a good example for whoever hopes in Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah often.
As an example, every aspect of the prophetic life of Muhammad, peace be upon him, is preserved. There is no personality in human history whose every aspect of life is documented like his. The Companions recorded all aspects of his life because it is the best example for us. Glory be to Allah, the honored personality whom Allah has made an example for us truly is the best example for us in all stages of life.
Fifth Status:
Allah Almighty taught us about good and evil through you, O Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). You taught us the etiquettes and rules of hospitality and clarified the rights and duties of the guest and the host. In other words, all your sayings regarding good treatment and behavior towards guests and hosts and serving them testify that you yourself practiced these matters. Accordingly, let us look at some important sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) related to guests.
① The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) encouraged hospitality and feeding people.
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Uqbah bin Amir رضي الله عنه that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
لا خير فيمن لا يضيف
There is no goodness in the person who does not show hospitality.
Similarly, Abdullah bin Salam رضي الله عنه says that when the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم arrived in Medina, the first thing he said to the people was:
أيها الناس ، أفشوا السلام ، وأطعموا الطعام ، وصلوا الأرحام ، وصلوا والناس نيام ، تدخلون الجنة بسلام
Due to these heavenly teachings of yours, the Companions had a spirit of feeding one another, especially those in need. Consider the following incident: It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that he said: The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
من أصبح منكم اليوم صائما؟ قال أبو بكر : أنا، قال: فمن تبع منكم اليوم جنازة؟ قال أبو بكر : أنا. قال: فمن أطعم منكم اليوم مسكينا؟ قال أبو بكر : أنا، قال: فمن عاد منكم اليوم مريضا؟ قال أبو بكر : أنا، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : ما اجتمعن فى امرئ إلا دخل الجنة .
Who among you is fasting today? Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه said: I am. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم asked: Who among you accompanied a funeral today? Abu Bakr Siddiq رضي الله عنه said: I did. He asked: Who among you fed a poor person today? Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه replied: I did. He asked: Who among you took care of a sick person today? Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه said: I did. The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: No person combines these good deeds except that he will surely enter Paradise.
② You have declared honoring the guest as a sign of faith.
It is narrated from Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
من كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر فليكرم ضيفه
Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should honor his guest.
③ You have prescribed hosting the guest as a right.
وإن لضيفك عليك حقا
And indeed, your guest also has a right over you.
How the guest has a right over the host has also been defined by the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. He said:
من كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر فليكرم جاره، ومن كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر فليكرم ضيفه جائزته . قال : وما جائزته يا رسول الله ؟ قال : يوم وليلة، والضيافة ثلاثة أيام ، فما كان وراء ذلك فهو صدقة عليه
Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should honor his neighbor, and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should honor his guest according to the customary manner. It was asked: O Messenger of Allah! How long is the customary manner? He said: One day and one night, and hospitality is for three days, and what comes after that is charity for him.
Regarding those who do not entertain guests, the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, also guided us. Aqbah bin Amir, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that we said: O Messenger of Allah! You send us (for preaching, etc.) and on the way, we stay in some villages of certain tribes, but they do not entertain us as guests. What is the command of the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, regarding this? The Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, said to us:
إن نزلتم بقوم فأمروا لكم بما ينبغي للضيف فاقبلوا، فإن لم يفعلوا، فخذوا منهم حق الضيف الذى ينبغي لهم
When you go to such people and they give you something as hospitality according to the custom, accept it; if they do not give, then take the right of hospitality from them according to the rule.
And in another narration it is reported as follows: Abu Karimah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
ليلة الضيف حق على كل مسلم ، فمن أصبح بفنائه، فهو عليه دين ، إن شاء اقتضى ، وإن شاء ترك
Every Muslim has the right to one night’s hospitality; whoever spends the night in a Muslim’s house, one day’s hospitality is a debt upon him, whether he wants to collect it or forgive it.
Here it should be understood that the guest who must be invited is a traveler coming from a journey or a distant place, or a relative or a stranger. However, hosting close relatives is considered a form of maintaining kinship ties, and inviting other Muslims is regarded as an act of kindness and good treatment.
④ Accepting an invitation is obligatory and is considered a right of one Muslim over another.
Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrated that I heard the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم say:
حق المسلم على المسلم خمس : رد السلام ، وعيادة المريض، واتباع الجنائز، وإجابة الدعوة، وتشميت العاطس.
A Muslim has five rights over another Muslim: to respond to greetings, to inquire about the sick, to accompany the funeral procession, to accept invitations, and to say “يرحمك الله” (may Allah have mercy on you) when someone sneezes and says “الحمد لله” (praise be to Allah).
Similarly, it is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Umar رضي الله عنهما that the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
إذا دعي أحدكم إلى الوليمة فليجب
When one of you is invited to a wedding feast, he should accept the invitation.
And if the one who is invited is fasting, he should pray for the host. Hazrat Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrated that he said the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
إذا دعي أحدكم فليجب، فإن كان صائما فليصل، وإن كان مفطرا فليطعم
When one of you is invited, he should accept. If he is fasting, he should pray for the host, and if he is not fasting, he should eat.
⑤ Encouraged having a bed arranged in the house beforehand for the guest.
It is narrated from Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said to him:
فراش للرجل ، وفراش لامرأته، والثالث للضيف، والرابع للشيطان .
One bed is for the man, one for his wife, the third bed is for the guest, and the fourth bed is for the devil.
From this hadith, it is understood that necessary arrangements for guests should be available in the house beforehand (such as a bed and facilities like a guest room and toilet) so that a guest can stay at someone’s home and there should not be excessive belongings in the house.
⑥ Encouraged inviting the poor and needy along with the wealthy to the feast.
Firstly, our food should be eaten by good people, and in our invitation, we should invite the poor along with the wealthy, and whoever does not accept the invitation is disobedient to Allah and His Messenger. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that he said:
شر الطعام طعام الوليمة ، يدعى لها الأغنياء ويترك الفقراء ، ومن ترك الدعوة فقد عصى الله ورسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم
The worst food for a Walimah is that in which only the wealthy are invited and the needy are not fed, and whoever refuses to accept the Walimah invitation has disobeyed Allah and His Messenger.
⑦ If there is capability, then be generous; otherwise, present whatever is available in the feast.
عن أنس، قال: كنا عند عمر ، فقال: نهينا عن التكلف
Anas رضي الله عنه narrated that we were with Umar رضي الله عنه when he said that we have been forbidden from extravagance.
Hazrat Salman (رضي الله عنه) says: نهانا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن نتكلف للضيف
The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) forbade us from extravagance for guests.
The details of Hazrat Salman Farsi’s invitation are as follows. Shaqiq says that my friend and I went to Sayyiduna Salman رضي الله عنه, he hosted us with bread and some savory item and said: If the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم had not forbidden extravagance, I would have been extravagant for your sake. My friend said: It would have been better if mountain mint was added to the savory dish. He sent a container resembling a water pot as collateral to the vegetable seller and ordered mint. When we finished eating, my friend said: الحمد لله الذى قنعنا بما رزقنا (All praise is due to Allah who enabled us to be content with this provision). Sayyiduna Salman رضي الله عنه said: If you had been content with your provision, my container would not have been held as collateral by the vegetable seller.
⑧ After eating, one should offer prayers of gratitude for the family members.
After finishing the meal, the guest should give good prayers to the host and can also say these prayers.
اللهم بارك لهم فيما رزقتهم واغفر لهم وارحمهم
May Allah bless their sustenance, forgive them, and have mercy on them.
اللهم أطعم من أطعمني واسق من سقاني
O Allah! Whoever fed me, feed him as well, and whoever gave me drink, give him drink as well.
A few Prophetic sayings related to hospitality are presented; the purpose of mentioning these sayings is to explain the etiquette of hospitality and also to show that our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, himself followed these teachings because he prescribed these rights and etiquettes for guests and hosts, and it is not possible that he would not practice them. Allah has warned such people who do not act according to their words; the Divine command is:
﴿أَتَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ وَتَنْسَوْنَ أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ تَتْلُونَ الْكِتَابَ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ﴾
You enjoin people to do good, but you forget yourselves, while you recite the Scripture. Do you not understand?
The conclusion is that all these qualities were of Muhammad, peace be upon him. Generally, it should be known about him that he was very generous and munificent in feeding people, drinking, and spending on the needy and poor, while for himself, he would ask Allah only for enough sustenance to live. Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, prayed اللهم ارزق آل محمد قوتا O Allah! Provide the family of Muhammad with enough sustenance so that they may live.
Similarly, there was scarcity of food in the house of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him; he ate less himself but cared more for the guests.
عن عائشة ، قالت: إن كنا آل محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم لنمكث شهرا ما نستوقد بنار ، إن هو إلا التمر والماء
Narrated Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her: We, the family of Muhammad, peace be upon him, used to live for a month without lighting a fire, surviving only on dates and water.
The Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, was content himself but extremely generous for others. Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with both of them, narrated:
كان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم أجود الناس بالخير ، وأجود ما يكون فى شهر رمضان، لأن جبريل كان يلقاه فى كل ليلة فى شهر رمضان، حتى ينسلخ يعرض عليه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم القرآن، فإذا لقيه جبريل كان أجود بالخير من الريح المرسلة.
The Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, was the most generous in giving charity, and in Ramadan, his generosity knew no bounds because in the month of Ramadan, Jibril (Gabriel), peace be upon him, would come to meet him every night until the month ended. During those nights, Jibril would review the Quran with the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him. When Jibril met him, the Prophet, peace be upon him, would become even more generous than a strong wind.
Narrated Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, he said:
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أحسن الناس، وكان أجود الناس، وكان أشجع الناس
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was the most handsome among all humans, the most generous among all humans, and the bravest.
Among the Arabs, generosity meant hosting guests and feeding others, meaning you were the one who cared most for guests and fed and gave drink to people among the Arabs.
Now let us look at specific evidences related to the topic and find out how the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, treated his guests and hosts. Understand in one sentence that whoever became a guest of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, considered himself fortunate, and whoever hosted the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, also considered himself very blessed. And why should it not be so, since his noble self was of such a high stature.
First, let us observe the behavior of Muhammad ﷺ with his guests, then we will see his behavior with the hosts.
① Feeding without expecting anything in return:
The Noble Prophet ﷺ has informed us through his words and actions that when we feed or give drink to someone, we should not expect any compensation, as Allah Almighty says:
﴿ إِنَّمَا نُطْعِمُكُمْ لِوَجْهِ اللَّهِ لَا نُرِيدُ مِنْكُمْ جَزَاءً وَلَا شُكُورًا ﴾
We feed you only for the sake of Allah’s pleasure; we do not want any reward or thanks from you.
However, it is the right of the one who is fed to thank their benefactor and pray for them.
② Personally welcoming guests:
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) welcomed incoming guests and delegations in the best manner through preferential words so that the newcomer would feel belongingness, love, and happiness instead of estrangement.
عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما، قال: لما قدم وفد عبد القيس على النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: مرحبا بالوفد الذين جاءوا غير خزايا ولا ندامى
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that when the delegation of the tribe of Abd Qais came to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the Prophet said, “Welcome to those who have arrived; they are neither humiliated nor ashamed (they happily embraced Islam; otherwise, they would have been humiliated if killed).”
③ They do not show affectation in invitation:
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ قُلْ مَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَجْرٍ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ ﴾
Say, I do not ask you for any reward for it, nor am I of the pretentious.
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) avoided pretentiousness in all matters of life and also forbade his companions from it. Indeed, you may have read in the previous lines that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) forbade the companions from being pretentious in hospitality. However, if one has the means, it is not wrong to present the best of dishes. But if one does not have the means, pretentiousness is prohibited.
Laqleet bin Sabrah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that I came to the service of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) as the leader of the delegation of Bani Muntafiq or as a member of the delegation. Food was prepared for us and a platter was brought. At that time, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was not at home. Then when he arrived, he told his shepherd to slaughter a goat, and he also said to Laqleet:
لا تحسبن، ولم يقل لا تحسبن أنا من أجلك ذبحناها لنا غنم مائة لا نريد أن تزيد، فإذا ولد الراعي بهمة ذبحنا مكانها شاة
Do not think that we have slaughtered it for you, rather (the matter is that) we have a hundred goats which we do not want to increase, so whenever a kid is born, we slaughter a goat in its place.
④ Sometimes mixing food together during a feast:
During the expedition of Khyber, while traveling, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ married Safiyyah رضي الله عنها and when he was hosting the Walimah feast, he instructed his companions:
من كان عنده شيء فليجئ به ، قال : وبسط نطعا ، قال : فجعل الرجل يجيء بالأقط، وجعل الرجل يجيء بالتمر ، وجعل الرجل يجيء بالسمن فحاسوا حيسا، فكانت وليمة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Whoever has (food) should bring it. The Prophet ﷺ spread a leather dining mat and said: then some people brought cheese, some brought dates, and some brought ghee. Then the people mixed the dates, cheese, and ghee well and prepared a sweet dish (halwa). This was the Walimah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Sometimes such communal feasts are also seen in the Prophetic hospitality.
⑤ Serving the guests:
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself would offer food to the guest, serve them, eat with them, and converse with them. Mughirah bin Shu’bah (may Allah be pleased with him) says:
ضفت النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم ذات ليلة فأمر بجنب فشوي، وأخذ الشفرة فجعل يحز لي بها منه، قال: فجاء بلال فآذنه بالصلاة، قال: فألقى الشفرة، وقال: ماله تربت يداه وقام يصلي زاد الأنباري : وكان شاربي قد طال فقصه لي على سواك أو قال: أقصه لك على سواك
One night I was a guest of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and he ordered the roasting of a goat leg. It was roasted, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) took a knife and began cutting meat from it for me. At that moment, Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) came and informed the Prophet about the prayer time. So the Prophet put down the knife and said: What has happened to him? Are both his hands dusty? Then he stood up to perform the prayer. In the narration of Anbari, it is added: My mustache had grown long, so the Prophet (peace be upon him) placed a miswak under my mustache and trimmed it, or he said: I will place a miswak and trim these hairs of yours.
Whenever he had the opportunity, he would provide the best hospitality to guests, as can be seen in this instance.
⑥ Talking to guests even if it is after Isha:
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ did not speak after Isha, as Umm al-Mu’minin Aisha (RA) says:
ما نام رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قبل العشاء ولا سمر بعدها
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ neither slept before Isha nor spoke after it (without necessity).
Nevertheless, due to honoring and hosting guests and necessity, he would speak even after Isha, as Imam Bukhari has titled a chapter under (Book of Prayer Times) regarding the hadith about the invitation of the Companions of the Suffah: باب السمر مع الضيف والأهل: Chapter: Speaking to one’s wife or guest at night (after Isha).
This is Bukhari’s
numbered hadith, and a hadith related to the invitation of the Companions of the Suffah is coming next.
⑦ The Prophet’s guest and an excellent example of selflessness:
Once a guest came to your service, but there was nothing in the house, so you presented your guest to the company of the Companions so that someone might host him. The details of the incident are as follows. Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a man came to the presence of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah! I am starving. The Prophet (peace be upon him) sent him to the Pure Wives (of the Prophet) so that they might invite him, but they had nothing to eat. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Is there no one who will host this guest tonight? May Allah have mercy on him. Then an Ansari Companion (Abu Talha) stood up and said: O Messenger of Allah! He is my guest today. Then he took him to his home and said to his wife: These are the guests of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), do not save anything from them. The wife said: By Allah, I have nothing except the children’s food at the moment. The Ansari Companion said: If the children ask for food, put them to sleep and come, extinguish this lamp as well; tonight we will remain hungry. The wife did so. Then the Ansari Companion came to the presence of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in the morning, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Allah Almighty has liked the action of so-and-so (the Ansari Companion) and his wife. Or (the Prophet (peace be upon him) said) that Allah Almighty smiled or that Allah Almighty revealed this verse ﴿ وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَىٰ أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ ﴾ meaning: “And they give preference to others over themselves, even though they are in privation themselves.”
Glory be to Allah, how fortunate it is to be a guest of the Messenger of Allah, and then how the husband and wife hosted the guest of the Messenger in such a manner that Allah also smiled and revealed a verse of the Qur’an in their honor.
⑧ Proper Management of Large Number of Guests:
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) paid special attention to the poor and needy in his meals, and whenever there were many guests, he would distribute the food among himself and the companions, ensuring that everyone had food arranged. The Companions of Suffah, who were a group of poor and needy people living in the Prophet’s Mosque, had their meals arranged by the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the following manner. Abdul Rahman bin Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
أن أصحاب الصفة كانوا أناسا فقراء، وأن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال مرة : من كان عنده طعام اثنين فليذهب بثالث، ومن كان عنده طعام أربعة فليذهب بخامس أو سادس أو كما قال: وأن أبا بكر جاء بثلاثة، وانطلق النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم بعشرة
The people of Suffah were needy and poor, and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once said that whoever has food for two people in his house should take a third person along with him, and whoever has food for four people should take a fifth or a sixth person along with him, or something similar to this (the narrator is uncertain whether it was five or six). So Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) brought three Companions of Suffah with him, and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) took ten companions with him.
⑨ They also hosted disbeliever guests; this also served the purpose of softening the heart and inviting to Allah:
It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Huraira (RA) that a guest came to the Prophet (PBUH) who was a disbeliever. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) ordered to milk a goat for him. He drank the milk. Then he was ordered to milk another goat, and he drank that milk as well. Then he was ordered to milk another goat, and he drank that too. In this way, he drank the milk of seven goats. Then in the morning, he embraced Islam. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) ordered to milk a goat for him again. He drank that milk. Then he was ordered to milk another goat, but he could not drink all of its milk. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: A Muslim drinks in one gulp, while a disbeliever drinks in seven gulps.
⑩ Hospitality towards the starving and the needy:
Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه narrates an incident of hospitality at the house of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم. It is quite long; the summary is that, by Allah, besides whom there is no deity, during the time of the Prophet, I used to lie on the ground on my stomach due to hunger, and sometimes I used to tie a stone on my stomach because of hunger. None of the companions of the Messenger could feed me. Eventually, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم recognized me, took me to his house, where there was a bowl of milk as a gift. He asked to call the Companions of Suffa. At first, Abu Huraira thought that this milk would be insufficient for them, but when the Companions of Suffa came, each one drank in turn. In the end, Abu Huraira drank until he was full, and then the remaining milk was drunk by the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Miqdad ibn al-Aswad رضي الله عنه, that my two companions and I came, and the strength of our ears and eyes was leaving us due to hardship (famine, etc.). We used to offer ourselves to the companions of the Prophet, but none accepted us. Finally, we came to the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم, and he took us to his house. There were three goats there. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: Milk them; we will all drink. Then we milked them, and each of us drank his share, while the share of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم was kept aside.
⑪ Allocating Funds for Dar al-Diyafa and Delegations:
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) arranged a guesthouse for guests and incoming delegations where his guests would stay, and he used to allocate separate funds for them. Bashir bin Yasar, who was a servant of the Ansar, narrates from some companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) that when the Prophet (peace be upon him) conquered Khaybar, he divided it into six parts, each part having one hundred shares. Half of these shares were designated for the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Muslims, and the other half was set aside for incoming delegations, other affairs, and to be spent on sudden calamities and hardships faced by the Muslims.
⑫ Considering the Guest’s Emotional Feelings Despite Feeling Displeasure:
Once, when the companions came to Zainab’s (may Allah be pleased with her) walima (wedding feast) upon her invitation, they stayed for a long time, which she found unpleasant, but she still considered the guests. In this context, this verse of the Quran was revealed:
﴿ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَدْخُلُوا بُيُوتَ النَّبِيِّ إِلَّا أَنْ يُؤْذَنَ لَكُمْ إِلَىٰ طَعَامٍ غَيْرَ نَاظِرِينَ إِنَاهُ وَلَٰكِنْ إِذَا دُعِيتُمْ فَادْخُلُوا فَإِذَا طَعِمْتُمْ فَانْتَشِرُوا وَلَا مُسْتَأْنِسِينَ لِحَدِيثٍ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكُمْ كَانَ يُؤْذِي النَّبِيَّ فَيَسْتَحْيِي مِنْكُمْ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَسْتَحْيِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ ﴾
O you who have believed, do not enter the houses of the Prophet except when you are permitted for a meal, without awaiting its readiness. But when you are invited, then enter; and when you have eaten, disperse without seeking to remain for conversation. Indeed, that [behavior] was troubling the Prophet, and he is shy of [dismissing] you. But Allah is not shy of the truth.
Thus, through this verse, the believers are taught the etiquette of feasts: to go to the meal when it is ready and to leave immediately after eating so that the household does not feel discomfort.
⑬ Familiarity with guests and caution in eating and drinking:
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to be informal and friendly with guests, and if there was any caution regarding food, he would certainly inform them:
عن جده صهيب، قال: قدمت على النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم وبين يديه خبز وتمر، فقال النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم : ادن فكل فأخذت أكل من التمر فقال النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم: تأكل تمرا وبك رمد؟ قال : فقلت إني أمضغ من ناحية أخرى فتبسم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Suhaib (may Allah be pleased with him) says that I came to the presence of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and there was bread and dates placed before him. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Come closer and eat. When I started eating dates, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: You are eating dates while your eye is injured. I replied: I am chewing from the other side. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) smiled.
The Noble Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) conduct with his hosts:
① The Messenger of Allah was a humble guest and accepted even simple invitations:
Whenever you, peace be upon him, became a guest at someone’s place, you showed great humility and accepted whatever was offered, no matter how simple it was. Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
لو دعيت إلى ذراع أو كراع لأجبت، ولو أهدي إلى ذراع أو كراع لقبلت
If I am invited to the arm or the leg (meat), I will accept it, and if a gift of arm or leg (meat) is sent to me, I will also accept it.
② If the host was not displeased, you would also take someone else with you to the invitation:
Sometimes you would go to an invitation for a meal and find someone else there, and if you were sure that the host would not be displeased, you would take them along with you. Once, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ saw Abu Bakr and Umar رضي الله عنهما who were hungry, and he himself was also hungry. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Come along,” and they went to the house of an Ansari, but he was not present at that time. His wife welcomed you warmly, then the Ansari also came and upon seeing you, he happily said:
الحمد لله الذى أكرمني اليوم بأكرم أضياف
meaning, “Praise be to Allah that today no one has guests like the ones I have.” Then he offered a goat as a meal.
For this reason, Imam Muslim has titled a chapter: (باب جواز استتباعه غيره إلى دار من يثق برضاه بذلك ويتحققه تحقيقا تاما واستحباب الاجتماع على الطعام) يعني باب: If the guest is sure that the host will not be displeased by bringing another person along, then he may take them with him.
③ They also accepted the invitation of a slave:
A slave whose profession was tailoring invited the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and he accepted the invitation. Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that a tailor invited the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, to a meal he had prepared for him. I also went with him. Barley bread and soup were served before the Prophet, peace be upon him, which contained pumpkin and pieces of dried meat. I saw that the Prophet, peace be upon him, was searching for pumpkin all around in the bowl. From that day, I also began to like pumpkin.
④ Informality with the Host:
Suhayb, may Allah be pleased with him, says:
قدمت على النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم ، وبين يديه خبز وتمر ، فقال النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم : ادن فكل فأخذت أكل من التمر ، فقال النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم تأكل تمرا وبك رمد ؟ قال فقلت: إني أمضغ من ناحية أخرى، فتبسم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم
I came to the presence of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. There was bread and dates placed before him. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: Come closer and eat. When I started eating the dates, the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: You are eating dates even though your eye is injured. I replied: I am chewing from the other side. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, smiled.
⑤ Sometimes he would say to others for their hospitality:
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was so informal and comfortable with his hosts that sometimes when someone came to invite him, he would also ask permission for another invitation. It is narrated from Hazrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet’s neighbor, who was a Persian, used to make good soup. He prepared soup for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and then came to invite him. The Prophet (peace be upon him) pointed towards Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) and asked, “Are they also invited?” He said, “No.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “No (I will not accept your invitation either).” He came again to invite the Prophet (peace be upon him), who asked, “Are they also invited?” He said, “No.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Then no.” He came a third time to invite, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked, “Are they also invited?” This time he said, “Yes.” Then both of them walked together one after the other until they reached his house.
⑥ Never finding fault with food while eating:
The Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ never found fault with food while eating anywhere. Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه narrated:
ما عاب النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم طعاما قط إن اشتهاه أكله وإن كرهه تركه
The Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ never found any fault in any food. If he liked it, he ate it, and if he disliked it, he left it.
⑦ Accepted the invitation of a Jew for reconciliation of hearts:
Once a Jew invited him, and he accepted the invitation. It is narrated from Hazrat Anas رضي الله عنه:
أن يهوديا دعا النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم إلى خبز الشعير وإهالة سنخة، فأجابه
Once the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was invited by a Jew who offered bread and old oil, and the Prophet ﷺ accepted it.
⑧ Commanded to start from the right side even if the person on that side is the lowest:
The Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to visit someone’s house, and if there was a need for something, he would ask for it and command to start serving food and drink from the right side, even if the person on the right side was of the lowest status. It is narrated from Anas رضي الله عنه that he said: (Once) the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to our house and asked for water. We had a goat, so we milked it. Then I mixed the water from the same well and presented it to the Prophet ﷺ (as buttermilk). Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه was sitting on the left side of the Prophet ﷺ, Umar رضي الله عنه was in front, and a villager was on the right side of the Prophet ﷺ. When the Prophet ﷺ finished drinking, (there was some milk left in the bowl), so Umar رضي الله عنه said, “This is for Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه.” But the Prophet ﷺ gave it to the villager because he was on the right side. Then the Prophet ﷺ said, “Those who sit on the right side, those who sit on the right side have the right.” So beware, always start from the right side. Anas رضي الله عنه said that this is the Sunnah, this is the Sunnah, he repeated it three times.
⑨ Supplication after eating an invitation:
It has been the practice of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that whenever he dined at someone’s place, he would conclude by reciting supplicatory words for the household. Numerous hadiths have been narrated in this regard.
It is narrated from Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him):
أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم زار أهل بيت من الأنصار فطعم عندهم طعاما، فلما أراد أن يخرج أمر بمكان من البيت فنضح له على بساط فصلى عليه ودعا لهم .
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) went to the household of the Ansar tribe for a visit and ate food there. When he was about to leave, on his command, water was sprinkled on a mat, and the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed on it and supplicated for the family.
Similarly, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) came to Sa’d bin ‘Ubada (may Allah be pleased with him), who brought bread and oil to him. The Prophet (peace be upon him) ate it and then recited this prayer: أفطر عندكم الصائمون وأكل طعامكم الأبرار وصلت عليكم الملائكة “May fasting people break their fast at your place, may righteous people eat your food, and may angels pray for you.”
Likewise, Abdullah bin Basar, who belonged to Bani Salim, says that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came to my father and stayed with him. He presented food to the Prophet (peace be upon him). Then he mentioned the bowl which they brought to the Prophet (peace be upon him), and then they brought water to him. The Prophet (peace be upon him) drank it and gave it to the one on his right. The Prophet (peace be upon him) ate dates and threw their pits on the back of his middle and index fingers. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) stood up, my father also stood and held the reins of his mount and said: Pray to Allah for me. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: اللهم بارك لهم فيما رزقتهم واغفر لهم وارحمهم “O Allah, bless the provision You have given them, forgive them, and have mercy on them.”
⑩ Also host feasts for your companions and serve them yourself:
Sometimes when someone invites you and you have many companions with you, Allah creates a way for the hospitality of those people as well. For example, during the Battle of the Trench, Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to invite the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and said that there was little food, so take one or two men with you. The Prophet (peace be upon him) inquired about the food and told him to ask his wife not to remove the pot from the stove and to bake bread. Then he came to their house with all his companions, that is, the Ansar and the Muhajirin. Seeing this crowd, the wife said to Jabir, “What will happen now?” The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) himself crumbled the bread and placed it on the meat until all the people ate their fill, and even some food remained.
I have tried to explain this topic briefly, but I have clarified it enough so that the behavior of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) with his guests and hosts is well understood. I pray to Allah that He grants us the ability to correctly follow the blessed example of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Ameen
