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Upon the
arrival of a guest, after the exchange of greetings, the foremost task is to
inquire about their well-being. As stated in the Qur'an:
“Has the
story reached you of the honorable guests of Abraham? When they entered upon
him and said, 'Peace.' He answered, 'Peace, you are a people unknown.'”
(Adh-Dhariyat 24-25)
Prophet
Abraham (A.S) immediately attended to their needs, arranging food and offering
them the roasted flesh of a fat calf.
“So quickly go to the house and bring a fat calf for them and serve it.”
(Adh-Dhariyat 26)
Virtuous
individuals take great delight in providing for their guests. They perceive a
guest not as a burden, but as a source of divine mercy, goodness, and
blessings. The presence of a guest in the home enhances the prestige and honor
of the host.
It is an
incumbent duty upon the host to maintain the dignity and respect of their
guest. Should anyone attempt to undermine the honor of a guest, it must be
regarded as an affront to one's own dignity.
When the
people of Lut (A.S) sought to harm the guests in a malicious manner, he rose in
defense and proclaimed:
“These are my guests, do not dishonor me by wronging them. Their disgrace is
my disgrace.” (Hud 78)
When Imam
Shafi’i (R.A) stayed at the house of Imam Malik (R.A), the latter treated him
with utmost reverence, providing him with a private chamber. At dawn, Imam
Shafi’i (R.A) heard a gentle knock and a voice offering him the following:
“May the mercy of Allah be upon you, it is time for prayer.”
Imam
Shafi’i (R.A) arose immediately, and upon seeing Imam Malik (R.A) standing with
a water pitcher in hand, felt a sense of modesty. Imam Malik (R.A) graciously
reassured him:
“Brother, there is no need for concern. Serving a guest is an honor for
every host.”
The Noble Prophet (P.B.U.H) himself
personally attended to the hospitality of his guests. Whenever a guest was
seated at his table, he would repeatedly say, "Eat, eat,"
until the guest had been fully satisfied and declined further. At that point,
he would not insist.
It is imperative to present the finest
food to the guest. The dining table should be prepared with an abundance of
food, utensils, and provisions, ideally more than the number of guests, as it
is possible that others may arrive during the meal, necessitating additional
effort in serving them. If the provisions are prepared beforehand, the new
arrivals will also experience honor and delight. The act of enduring personal
discomfort in order to ensure the guest’s comfort is regarded as a praiseworthy
aspect of good character.
On one occasion, a man approached the
Prophet (P.B.U.H) and said, "O Messenger of Allah, I am overwhelmed by
hunger." The Prophet (P.B.U.H) sent a message to one of the Mothers of
the Believers (R.A), but the response came back stating that only water was
available. He (P.B.U.H) then sent another person to another household, but
received the same response. Turning to his companions, he inquired, "Who
will accept this guest tonight?"
One Ansari companion volunteered to
host the guest and took him home. The wife of the Ansari said, "We have
only enough food for the children." The companion instructed, "Calm
the children and put them to sleep. When the meal is placed before the guest,
extinguish the lamp and sit down to share the meal with him, so that he feels
we are partaking in the meal alongside him."
The following morning, when this
Ansari companion came to the Prophet (P.B.U.H), the Prophet (P.B.U.H)
immediately remarked, "The way both of you treated your guest last
night was greatly beloved to Allah."
Tajalliyat-The Divine Manifestation
KHWAJA SHAMS-UD-DEEN AZEEMI
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MERCIFUL, THE BENEVOLENT
Dedicated to those scientists, who are inching towards the cognizance of the facts, spotlighted by Allah Almighty, in the wake of their intelligent observation for the top vertex of scientific achievement, which is not other than the "Disastrous end of the Universe". And this is probably during 15th century of Lunar calendar.
