The Sunnah of Hospitality: Need for Common Sense Thursday, June 12, 2008
Posted by Administrator 2 in Etiquettes Of Social Life.trackback
by Badr ul Islam
“Nowadays, when some unexpected guests arrive, the wife of the host sees their arrival as a sudden burden on her – and quite rightly so.
This is because the wife knows that she will now have to spend the next hour or so in preparing ‘tea’ for them.
In the past when a guest arrived ‘tea’ really meant tea. That is, a cup of tea would be presented to the guest and perhaps a glass of water.
Now ‘tea’ tends to entail a variety of drinks, savouries and snacks. The actual cup of tea is merely a small additional item.
Of course, this does not mean that one should disregard the important Sunnah of our beloved Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam with regards being hospitable to one’s guest.
For, indeed he sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam has said, as recorded in the Saheeh of Imam al-Bukhari rahmatullahi alayh that:
‘He who believes in Allah and the last day, let him honour his guest.’
What is required is the correct balance and the usage of common sense and common courtesy.
Thus the guest needs to be careful that he does not cause inconvenience to his host; and the host needs to be careful that, in order to entertain his guest, he does not cause unnecessary and inappropriate hardship to his wife and family.”
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