What do the scholars of the Din and muftis of the Sacred Law state regarding the following issue: what should we do if guests visit our home? What are the manners of hospitality?
Questioner: Qasim, UK
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب
The host must take care of the following things regarding hospitality:
1. The host must himself look after the guests and not hand over the responsibility (of looking after them) to his servants. Doing so will be emulating the way of Sayyidunā Ibrāhīm (peace be upon him) as this is his way. (al-Fatāwā al-Hindiyyah)
2. If the guests are few in number, the host must have food with them; this is a form of politeness. He must not keep the food (in front of them) and go away. If the guests are many in number, he should not have food along with them. Instead, he must busy himself in serving them and taking care of them. (al-Fatāwā al-Hindiyyah)
3. After serving food, the host must periodically request the guest to have more food but he must not urge them to do so. Urging them to have more food may make them consume in excess and this might be harmful for them. The host must not remain completely silent. (al-Fatāwā al-Hindiyyah)
4. The host must not become upset with his servants in front of the guests. If he is well off to do so, he must not reduce the food for his family due to guests. (al-Fatāwā al-Hindiyyah)
5. The host must not make the guest sit with someone whom the latter does not like. Once the guests finish eating, their hands should be washed.
[al-Fatāwā al-Hindiyyah, vol 5, pg 344-345]
واللہ تعالی اعلم ورسولہ اعلم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم
کتبہ ابو الحسن محمد قاسم ضیاء قادری
Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qadri
Translated by the SeekersPath Team
Read the original Urdu answer here – [Q-ID0335] What are the manners of hospitality when having guests?
