[Q 605] Authenticity of Hospitality Narration

QUESTION:

There is a possible hadith I want to enquire about to see whether there’s any source for it in regards to hospitality. Can you verify it’s authenticity and if it isn’t authentic, point towards other hadiths/Sunnahs demonstrating the benefits of being hospitable to guests and the benefits it entails (including some of the akhlaaq to observe with overstaying as a guest too)?

A woman came to the Prophet ‎ﷺ and complained to him about her husband that he invites too many guests and she has become weary from preparing food for them and hosting them. The Prophet ‎ﷺ did not answer and the woman left. Sometime later, the Prophet ‎ﷺ called the woman’s husband and said, “I am your guest today.” The man was so happy, he went home and told his wife “The Prophet of Allah ‎ﷺ is our guest today.” His wife was ecstatic and spent time and effort and used every bit of food to prepare for the arrival of the most honoured guest, the Prophet ‎ﷺ. After the amazing joy of hosting the Prophet ‎ﷺ generously, the Prophet ‎ﷺ told the man, “Tell your wife to watch the door from which I leave your home.” So, the wife watched the door from which the Prophet ‎ﷺ left her home and saw all kinds of creatures, scorpions and other harmful creatures leaving the house behind the Prophet ‎ﷺ, upon which she fainted due to the immense manifestation and greatness of what she had witnessed. When she came to the Prophet ‎ﷺ, he said to her, “This is what happens when the guest leaves your home, with him all kinds of harm, trials and tribulations and harmful creatures depart from your home, and that is the wisdom behind being generous to one’s guest and becoming weary doing so.”

ANSWER:

We did not find the blessed Hadith mentioned in the question in any book of Hadith. However, in many blessed Ahadith, rulings and virtues related to hospitality have been mentioned.

The benefits and virtues of hospitality:

Honouring, respecting, and showing hospitality to the guest is the Sunnah (prophetic practice) of the Ambiya Kiraam عليهم السلام.

Hospitality brings barakah (blessing) in rizq (sustenance), and it is a cause of much goodness and well-being.
Through hospitality, a person becomes deserving of the blessings of Jannah (Paradise).
Showing hospitality for the pleasure of Allah عزوجل becomes a means of forgiveness and مغفرت (maghfirat – pardon).
Hospitality increases mutual love and unity, and this is something desired by the Shari‘ah.

The etiquettes of hospitality:
When a guest comes to the host, the host should honour him, meet him with a smile and a cheerful expression, avoid such speech and manner that may cause displeasure to the guest, present good food to him according to his ability, speak to him kindly, serve him with his own hands, and also join him in eating. When seeing him off, he should accompany him to the door.

The rulings regarding a guest staying with the host:
According to the blessed Hadith, a guest is only permitted to stay with the host for as long as the host can serve him willingly and without burden or hardship, and for as long as it does not become a cause of difficulty and distress for him. If the guest knows that by staying that amount of time—whether little or much—the host will become weary of him and it will cause displeasure to him, then it is now ناجائز و گناہ (na-ja’iz wa gunah – impermissible and sinful) to remain for that duration, even if the host does not express it. This is what has been stated in the blessed Hadith: it is not permissible for a guest to stay for so long that he causes the host to fall into sin.

However, if the host himself is pleased with the guest staying longer and himself asks him to remain, then there is no sin, and the guest may stay.

Likewise, the guest should avoid complaining about the food or the host’s hospitality and avoid finding faults in it, and he should behave with good character towards him. If possible, he should also lend a hand in work and arrange gifts for him.

In the Noble Qur’an, regarding حضرت لوط عليه السلام, it is stated:

قَالَ اِنَّ هٰۤؤُلَآءِ ضَیْفِیْ فَلَا تَفْضَحُوْنِۙ (68) وَ اتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ وَ لَا تُخْزُوْنِ(69)

Translation from Kanz al-Irfan: He (Lūṭ) said, “Indeed, these are my guests, so do not embarrass me. And fear Allah and do not disgrace me.”

(al-Hijr: 68, 69)

In Tafsir Sirat al-Jinan, it is stated: “{He said:} that is, حضرت لوط عليه الصلوۃ والسلام said to his people: ‘These are my guests, and honouring the guest is necessary, so do not intend to disrespect them and thereby disgrace me, because the humiliation of the guest becomes a cause of embarrassment and shame for the host…’ From this, it is معلوم ہوا (maloom hua – معلوم ہوا) that honouring, respecting, and showing hospitality to the guest is the Sunnah of the Ambiya Kiraam عليهم الصلوۃ والسلام, even if the host is not acquainted with him.”

In the blessed Ahadith, it is stated:

(01) In Sunan Ibn Majah, it is stated:

عن أنس بن مالك، قال: قال رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم -: “الخير أسرع إلى البيت الذي يغشى من الشفرة إلى سنام البعير”

Translation: “Goodness comes more swiftly to the house in which guests frequently come and go than the knife reaches the hump of the camel.”

(Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith no. 3356)

(02) In Kashf al-Khafa, it is stated:

عن ابي قرصافة قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: اذا اراد الله بعبد خيرا اهدي له هدية، قيل يا رسول الله وما تلك الهدية؟ قال: الضيف ينزل به برزقه ويرتحل وقد غفر الله لاهل المنزل

Translation: The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآلہ وسلم said: “When Allah Ta‘ala intends good for a servant, He grants him a gift.” It was asked: “Ya Rasul Allah! What is that gift?” The Noble Prophet صلى الله عليه وآلہ وسلم said: “It is the guest who comes to him with his own rizq (rizq – sustenance), and when he departs (after staying), Allah Ta‘ala has already forgiven the people of the household.”

(Kashf al-Khafa, vol. 2, p. 33)

(03) A blessed Hadith in Kanz al-‘Ummal states:

عن ابي قرصافة قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم:اذا اضف اخاه المؤمن في الله عز وجل لا يريد به جزاء ولا شكورا بعث الله له عشرة املاك يسبحون الله ويهللونه ويكبرونه سنة كاملة ويستغفرون له فاذا تمت السنة كتب الله له بعبادتهم سنة وكان حقا على الله ان يطعمه من طعام الجنة ويسقيه من شرابها ويدخله جنة الخلد

Translation: “Whoever hosts his believing brother for the sake of Allah عزوجل, not intending from him any recompense or thanks, Allah Ta‘ala appoints for him ten angels who glorify Allah, proclaim His oneness, and declare His greatness for a full year, and they continue seeking forgiveness for him. When the year is completed, Allah Ta‘ala writes for him in his record the reward equal to a year of their worship. And it is due from Allah that He feed him from the food of Jannah, give him drink from its drink, and admit him into Jannat al-Khuld.”

(Kanz al-‘Ummal, Juz 9, vol. 5, p. 109)

Regarding the stay of a guest, a blessed Hadith states:

In Bukhari Sharif, it is stated:

أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: «من كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر فليكرم ضيفه، جائزته يوم وليلة، والضيافة ثلاثة أيام، فما بعد ذلك فهو صدقة، ولا يحل له أن يثوي عنده حتى يحرجه»
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith no. 6135)

Imam Nawawi رحمہ اللہ تعالی states:

قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم (من كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر فليكرم ضيفه جائزته قالوا وما جائزته يا رسول الله قال يومه وليلته والضيافة ثلاثة أيام فما كان وراء ذلك فهو صدقة عليه) وقال من كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر فليقل خيرا أو ليصمت وفي رواية الضيافة ثلاثة أيام وجائزته يوم وليلة ولا يحل لرجل مسلم أن يقيم عند أخيه حتى يؤثمه قالوا يا رسول الله وكيف يؤثمه قال يقيم عنده ولا شئ له يقر به وفي رواية إن نزلتم بقوم فأمروا لكم بما ينبغي للضيف فاقبلوا فإن لم يفعلوا فخذوا منهم حق الضيف الذي ينبغي لهم هذه الأحاديث متظاهرة على الأمر بالضيافة والاهتمام بها وعظيم موقعها وقد أجمع المسلمون على الضيافة وأنها من متأكدات الإسلام ثم قال الشافعي ومالك وأبو حنيفة رحمهم الله تعالى والجمهور هي سنة ليست بوجبة وقال الليث وأحمد هي واجبة يوما وليلة قال أحمد رضي الله عنه هي واجبة يوما وليلة على أهل البادية وأهل) القرى دون أهل المدن وتأول الجمهور هذه الأحاديث وأشباهها على الاستحباب ومكارم الأخلاق وتأكد حق الضيف كحديث غسل الجمعة واجب على كل محتلم أي متأكد الاستحباب وتأولها الخطابي رضي الله عنه وغيره على المضطر والله أعلم قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم (فليكرم ضيفه جائزته يوما وليلة والضيافة ثلاثة أيام) قال العلماء معناه الاهتمام به في اليوم والليلة وإتحافه بما يمكن من بر وإلطاف وأما في اليوم الثاني والثالث فيطعمه ما تيسر ولا يزيد على عادته وأما ما كان بعد الثلاثة فهو صدقة ومعروف إن شاء فعل وإن شاء ترك قالوا وقوله صلى الله عليه وسلم ولا يحل له أن يقيم عنده حتى يؤثمه معناه لا يحل للضيف أن يقيم عنده بعد الثلاث حتى يوقعه في الإثم لأنه قد يغتابه لطول مقامه أو يعرض له بما يؤذيه أو يظن به مالا يجوز وقد قال الله تعالى اجتنبوا كثيرا من الظن إن بعض الظن إثم وهذا كله محمول على ما إذا أقام بعد الثلاث من غير استدعاء من المضيف أما إذا استدعاه وطلب زيادة إقامته أو علم أو ظن أنه لا يكره إقامته فلا بأس بالزيادة لأن النهي إنما كان لكونه يؤثمه وقد زال هذا المعنى والحالة هذه فلو شك في حال المضيف هل تكره الزيادة ويلحقه بها حرج أم لا تحل الزيادة إلا بإذنه لظاهر الحديث والله أعلم
(Sharh al-Nawawi ‘ala Muslim, 12/31)

In Fatawa Ridawiyyah, it is stated: Mawla Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala says in the Noble Qur’an:

اِخْوَانِكُمْ اَوْ بُیُوْتِ اَخَوٰتِكُمْ اَوْ بُیُوْتِ اَعْمَامِكُمْ اَوْ بُیُوْتِ عَمّٰتِكُمْ اَوْ بُیُوْتِ اَخْوَالِكُمْ اَوْ بُیُوْتِ خٰلٰتِكُمْ اَوْ مَا مَلَكْتُمْ مَّفَاتِحَهٗۤ اَوْ صَدِیْقِكُمْؕ-لَیْسَ عَلَیْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ اَنْ تَاْكُلُوْا جَمِیْعًا اَوْ اَشْتَاتًاؕ-فَاِذَا دَخَلْتُمْ بُیُوْتًا فَسَلِّمُوْا عَلٰۤى اَنْفُسِكُمْ تَحِیَّةً مِّنْ عِنْدِ اللّٰهِ مُبٰرَكَةً طَیِّبَةًؕ-كَذٰلِكَ یُبَیِّنُ اللّٰهُ لَكُمُ الْاٰیٰتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُوْنَ۠ (61)

Translation from Kanz-ul-Irfan:
There is no sin upon the blind, or the disabled, or the sick, and nor upon you if you eat in your homes, or the homes of your fathers, or the homes of your mothers, or the homes of your brothers, or the homes of your sisters, or the homes of your paternal uncles, or the homes of your paternal aunts, or the homes of your maternal uncles, or the homes of your maternal aunts, or the home for which you have keys, or your friend’s home. There is no sin upon you that you eat together or separately. So when you enter homes, greet your people, a good supplication (upon meeting); a blessed and pure word from Allah. Thus, Allah states verses for you that you may understand..”

(al-Nur, verse 61)

Within this permission, just as eating one meal is included, similarly—on condition of the owner’s pleasure and that it not be burdensome—staying and eating for several occasions is also included, especially when the sister or mother-in-law or such relatives live in another city, and one goes to meet them after a long time. Until one does not know that it will be burdensome or disliked by them, then to the extent that, in such relations, after such an absence, hospitality for that many days is customarily recognised, one may undoubtedly stay. Yes, to stay so long that the host becomes fed up and displeased is ناجائز (na-ja’iz – impermissible), and that food too is ناجائز, even if it is the house of one’s parents.

However, parents, when they are needy, may stay at the house of their wealthy children for as many days as they wish, even if the child dislikes it, because they have such a right in his wealth that they may take from it even without his pleasure. All this discussion was regarding staying temporarily. Now, those people who consider it blameworthy, their assumption is completely rejected and is the imitation of the disbelieving Hindus.

As for taking up residence in another person’s house, apart from needy parents, it is absolutely not halal for anyone to reside in someone’s house without his permission, even if it is the house of a brother or father, even if it is only residence and he eats from his own provisions. But the one who is unable to earn and is needy, and whose nafaqah (nafaqah – maintenance) the Shari‘ah has made obligatory upon the owner of the house, he may stay there, and his food too will be upon that person, whether the latter likes it or dislikes it. Whether it is a brother or sister, a mother-in-law is not included in this, because her maintenance cannot become obligatory upon him. Yes, if the maintenance of a helpless needy person is شرعاً لازم (shar‘an lazim – legally obligatory) upon someone, and neither is he from his children nor is this one from his children, then placing this burden upon him without his pleasure can only be by the ruling of a judge; he himself does not possess that authority.

In Radd al-Muhtar, it is stated:

نفقۃ قرابۃ غیر الولاد وجوبھا لایثبت الا بالقضاء اوا لرضاء.

Translation: “The obligation of maintenance for such relatives who are not included among one’s children is not established except by the ruling of a judge or by the consent of the one who is to provide the maintenance.”

The ruling of the Shari‘ah is this. Whatever is contrary to it is false. Apparently, this specification may be based on the thought that a sister usually does not own the house and wealth herself; rather, they belong to her husband. If he does not express displeasure, it is generally due to courtesy and consideration for his wife. Likewise, whatever a mother-in-law does, she does because of pressure from her daughter, and this is not permissible. Therefore, one should avoid this, even if displeasure is not openly shown, for the displeasure is apparent. And the sister is only an example; the same applies to a daughter, niece, and maternal niece when the wealth and house belong to their husbands. In Shar‘i terms, the same ruling applies to a brother, nephew, and sister’s son when inward displeasure exists along with outward courtesy, but here the courtesy is due to the person himself, whereas there it is through the married-off daughter, so this has been regarded as more blameworthy. Wallahu Ta‘ala A‘lam.

(Fatawa Ridawiyyah, vol. 23, Raza Foundation)

Answered by: Mubashir Attari (AskMufti Scholar)
Verified by: Mufti Sajid Attari
Translated answer
Date: 31st March 2026.