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Hospitality
In the verses where Ibrahim (as)'s care for his guests is de-
scribed, the Qur'an shows how to be a host according to the teach-
ings of the Qur'an:
Has the story reached you of the honoured guests of Ibrahim?
When they entered his dwelling and said, "Peace!" he said,
"Peace, to people we do not know."
So he slipped off to his household and brought a fattened calf.
He offered it to them and then exclaimed, "Do you not then
eat?" (Surat adh-Dhariyat: 24-27)
Believers who take Ibrahim (as)'s hospitality as an example
will greet their guests cheerfully with a warm welcome and make
them comfortable by showing them respect and love. Then, they
will think about what their guests may need, and supply it without
their having to say or intimate anything. Moreover, they will try to
offer these things without delay because it is the custom of the
Muslims based on the personal example of the Messenger of Allah,
may Allah bless him and grant him peace, that guests must be of-
fered the best food in the house.
However, some individuals do not open the door when
guests come calling even if they know them, and are forced
against their will to entertain guests. They receive them out of
custom or social necessity. Their behaviour changes according
to the status of their guest: when hosting a poor person, they
try to make do without offering special treats. But if their
guest is rich and influential, they go beyond offering
small treats and make every effort to offer the best
possible food with the best possible service.
When a host treats his guests coldly and
with disregard for their feelings, certainly he
24 Hours in the Life of a Muslim
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