مہمان کا اکرام

Narrated Abu Shurayh Khuwaylid ibn Amr al-Khuza'i (may Allah be pleased with him): I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should honour his guest and fulfil his due." The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) asked, "O Messenger of Allah, what is his due?" He ﷺ said, "A day and a night (during which he should prepare the best food he can afford), and hospitality is for three days; whatever is beyond that is charity."

In the realm of good character and sincerity, being a guest and being a host hold special importance. Honouring a guest and giving him fitting care is one of the important branches of faith, and this blessed hadith too shows its importance. Such conduct increases mutual love and affection and brings about the strengthening of ties and relationships. Honouring a guest means welcoming him with good cheer and taking care to give him every possible comfort. Today, whether it be hospitality, weddings, gatherings of friends and relatives, or assemblies of kin — there is scarcely any part of our society that has not become a woeful example of open disregard for Islamic values and of contravening the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ. So, to save mercy from becoming disgrace and love from becoming hatred, we should strive to adopt the rights and duties of guest and host laid down in the prophetic traditions ﷺ, so that love may increase and we may also earn the reward of following the Sunnah.