HOSPITALITY & GUESTS - Part 1

Showing hospitality and entertaining guests is highly recommended in Islam. Allah (SWT) is mentioning about the hospitality of Prophet Ibrahim (as) in the Holy Quran:

"Has the story of Ibrahim's honoured guests come to you? When they entered upon him, they said: Peace. Peace, he said. Strangers they are".  (51:24/25)

Who were these strangers? They were Angels in disguise sent to destroy the people of Prophet Lut (as). On their way, they were commanded to stop by Prophet Ibrahim (as) and convey him the good news about the birth of a son in his house.

"Then he went quickly to his family and brought a fat (roasted) calf, And put it before them. He said: Will you not eat? Then he felt afraid of them. They said: have no fear, and gave him the glad tidings of a son endowed with knowledge" (51:26 - 28)

As per his hospitality, Prophet Ibrahim (as) rushed to offer his guests a fat roasted calf. When they refused to eat it, he (as) realized that this time, his guests were not humans. They were angels sent by Allah (SWT) with a mission to accomplish.

PROPHET IBRAHIM (AS): SYMBOL OF GENEROSITY & HOSPITALITY

It is related that Prophet Ibrahim (as) never ate unless there was a guest at his table. At one time, a whole month went by and no one came to his house. Nobody shared his food. So he (as) hardly ate for the whole month. Finally, he (as) prayed to Allah (SWT) saying: "O Allah! You have given me this wonderful habit of sharing my food with someone else. I haven't eaten for a whole month. I wonder if there are other people like me?" God told him: "Go and travel in the land, and see if there are others like you!" So Ibrahim (as) began to travel. Finally, he found someone who begged him to accept his hospitality saying: "Look, three months I haven't eaten because I haven't had somebody at my table".

Although Ibrahim (as) had not eaten for one month, here was somebody who had not eaten for three months because nobody had come to his house as a guest.

Prophet Ibrahim (as) happily accepted his invitation. After dinner, it was his custom to pray so he told his host: "I will include you in my prayers and you do the same for me". But the host replied that he had given up making such prayers. He had prayed for something for many years which Allah (SWT) had not answered. He felt he was not worthy of making such prayers. When Prophet Ibrahim (as) asked what his prayer was about, this is what the host had to say: "I have heard that there is a great prophet here on earth, a special friend of Allah, called Ibrahim.  For years, I prayed to meet him but my wish was not granted. My mouth cannot be worthy to make such prayers to our Lord. So you pray instead".

                                                                                                 To be continued................

Mulla Mujaheedali Sheriff

mulla@almahdi.org.uk