Riyāḍ uṣ-Ṣāliḥīn · Chapter 94 of 372
Honoring the Guest
The Book of Good Manners – Chapter 94 : Ahadith 706 – 707
Imam Abu Zakariyya Yahya ibn Sharaf an-Nawawi (d. 676 AH)
🎧 Listen to all hadiths in Arabic Ch 94 H 706 – 707
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Allah, the Exalted says:
هَلۡ أَتَىٰكَ حَدِيثُ ضَيۡفِ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ ٱلۡمُكۡرَمِينَ ﴿٢٤﴾ إِذۡ دَخَلُواْ عَلَيۡهِ فَقَالُواْ سَلَٰمٗاۖ قَالَ سَلَٰمٞ قَوۡمٞ مُّنكَرُونَ ﴿٢٥﴾ فَرَاغَ إِلَىٰٓ أَهۡلِهِۦ فَجَآءَ بِعِجۡلٖ سَمِينٖ ﴿٢٦﴾ فَقَرَّبَهُۥٓ إِلَيۡهِمۡ قَالَ أَلَا تَأۡكُلُونَ ﴿٢٧﴾
“Has the story reached you, of the honoured guests [three angels; Jibril (Gabriel) along with another two] of Ibrahim (Abraham)? When they came in to him and said: `Salam (peace be upon you),’ He answered: `Salam (peace be upon you),’ and said: `You are a people unknown to me.’ Then he turned to his household, and brought out a roasted calf [as the property of Ibrahim (Abraham) was mainly cows]. And placed it before them, (saying): `Will you not eat?”’
[Adh-Dhāriyāt 51:24–27]
وَجَآءَهُۥ قَوۡمُهُۥ يُهۡرَعُونَ إِلَيۡهِ وَمِن قَبۡلُ كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِۚ قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ بَنَاتِي هُنَّ أَطۡهَرُ لَكُمۡۖ فَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُخۡزُونِ فِي ضَيۡفِيٓۖ أَلَيۡسَ مِنكُمۡ رَجُلٞ رَّشِيدٞ
“And his (Lut’s) people came rushing towards him, and since aforetime they used to commit crimes (sodomy), he said: `O my people! Here are my daughters (i.e., the women of the nation), they are purer for you (if you marry them lawfully). So fear Allah and degrace me not with regard to my guests! Is there not among you a single right-minded man? ”’
[Hūd 11:78]
706 Abu Hurairah (radiyallahu anhu) reported: The Prophet ﷺ said, “He who believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him show hospitality to his guest; and he who believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him maintain good relation with kins; and he who believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent.”[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
707 Abu Shuraih Khuwailid bin `Amr Al-Khuza`i (radiyallahu anhu) reported: I heard Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, “He who believes in Allah and the Last Day, should accommodate his guest according to his right.” He was asked: “What is his right, O Messenger of Allah?” He ﷺ replied: “It is (to accommodate him) for a day and a night, and hospitality extends for three days, and what is beyond that is charity.”[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In Muslim it is added: Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “It is not permissible for a Muslim to stay so long with his brother till he makes him sinful.” He was asked: “O Messenger of Allah, how can he make him sinful?” He replied, “He prolongs his stay with him till nothing is left with the host to entertain him (guest).”