32. Guests and Spending

٣٢۔ كتاب الضيف والنفقة

al-Adab al-Mufrad > Chapter 32 > Section 2
الأدب المفرد > كتاب ٣٢ > باب ٢

32.2 Serving the guest oneself

٣٢۔٢ بَابُ إِكْرَامِ الضَّيْفِ وَخِدْمَتِهِ إِيَّاهُ بِنَفْسِهِ

adab:740 – Abu Hurayrah (ra) said that a man came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He sent message to his homes that they should send him if they had anything (to entertain his guest). They all sent back a reply that they had nothing but water. The messenger of Allah ^ asked (his companions)," Who will entertain this guest?" One of the Ansar volunteered to serve the guest. This companion took him and said to his wife," Honour the guest of the Messenger of Allah." She responded that they only had the food of their children and nothing more. He said to her," Prepare to serve and set the lantern and send the children to sleep". When they decided to have their meal, she laid the food on the cloth and set the lantern after putting her children to sleep. She then stood pretending to set right the lantern but, in the process, she extinguished it. Both husband and wife sat down leaving an impression on their guest that they were partaking the meal with him. Both of them passed the night in hunger. In the morning, that companion went to the Prophet (ﷺ) who said to him," Allah is pleased with your deed and revealed to me this verse:

" ... but give [them] preference over themselves, even though they are in privation. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul - it is those who will be the successful." (al-Hashr,59:9)  

الأدب المفرد:٧٤٠ – حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ دَاوُدَ عَنْ فُضَيْلِ بْنِ غَزْوَانَ عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

أَنَّ رَجُلاً أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَبَعَثَ إِلَى نِسَائِهِ فَقُلْنَ مَا مَعَنَا إِلاَّ الْمَاءُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَنْ يَضُمُّ أَوْ يُضِيفُ هَذَا؟ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ أَنَا فَانْطَلَقَ بِهِ إِلَى امْرَأَتِهِ فَقَالَ أَكْرِمِي ضَيْفَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَتْ مَا عِنْدَنَا إِلاَّ قُوتٌ لِلصِّبْيَانِ فَقَالَ هَيِّئِي طَعَامَكِ وَأَصْلِحِي سِرَاجَكِ وَنَوِّمِي صِبْيَانَكِ إِذَا أَرَادُوا عَشَاءً فَهَيَّأَتْ طَعَامَهَا وَأَصْلَحَتْ سِرَاجَهَا وَنَوَّمَتْ صِبْيَانَهَا ثُمَّ قَامَتْ كَأَنَّهَا تُصْلِحُ سِرَاجَهَا فَأَطْفَأَتْهُ وَجَعَلاَ يُرِيَانِهِ أَنَّهُمَا يَأْكُلاَنِ وَبَاتَا طَاوِيَيْنِ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ غَدَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ ﷺ لَقَدْ ضَحِكَ اللَّهُ أَوْ عَجِبَ مِنْ فَعَالِكُمَا وَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ {وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ وَمَنْ يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ}