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The Law of Refusing Guest in Islam

Review by : Yuli SE., MM

Guest is someone or a group who visit a place for some business. Of course, we have accepted a guest or visit someone, both we have a business with him or we just want to meet him. People who have many guests is usually people who have a large hospitality, many siblings and friends. And of course, that person is happy to do hospitality with others.

Treating a guest is an obligatory thing in Islam and it is one of someone’s faith form. “Whoever faith to Allah, then treat his guest.” (Narrated by Bukhari). A guest has a good intention, he likes people who are visited, and he is comfortable to talk and close with them. A guest must be treated well and politely as we are treated when we are visiting someone’s home.

The Law of Refusing Guest in Islam Site

How if there is someone who does not like to accept a guest? For example, he is uncomfortable or afraid the guest will disturb his family, so he prefers to do hospitality in the outside. Or may be he feels bothered and he is more comfortable to do his business alone, he does not want to be disturbed by someone’s visiting.

In Islam, we must not refuse or do bad thing to the guest, because Islam teaches us to keep a good relationship with Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala and other humans. Here is a complete explanation about the law of refusing guest in Islam site based on the word of Allah SWT and the hadith of Rasulullah SAW.

Not follow the Prophet and Rasul

The Prophets and Rasul have give examples in the daily life such as treating a guest, see the word of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala below, “Has there reached you the story of honored guests of Abraham? When they entered upon him and said, “[We greet you with] peace.” He answered, “[And upon you] peace, [you are] a people unknown.” Then he went to his family and came with a fat [roasted] calf).” (Q.S. Adh Dhariyat)

At that time, The Prophet Abraham accepted an unknown guest (indeed he is an angel of Allah SWT) but he accepted and treated his guest well, even he offered food for his guest. From that story, we studied that every guest must be treated well as our abilities. The Prophets never gave bad examples in treating guest, for example, surly in front of the guest, say some harsh words (impolite), or unfair with his guests. So as a Moslem, we have to follow the goodness of our Prophets and Rasulullah SAW.

2. Far away from goodness

“There is no goodness for someone who refuse his guest.” (Narrated Ahmad 2434). The goodness in here is rizq, hospitality and someone’s prejudice. If someone visits our home with a good intention, we should accept him well, so we can have a wide relationship.

For someone who always refuse a guest, then people do not want to visit his home again, for example, when he needs help or he has an event, people will seem reluctant to come because they have got a bad prejudice with him. Finally, he will get aloneness that company during his lifetime. [AdSense-B]

3. Refuse Blessings

In the past, there was a man who love if his home was come a guest, but his wife did not like it. Every guests who come to his home, the wife showed a bad behavior. Then that man told it to Rasulullah, after heard it, he said, “Say to your wife, today some companions and I (Rasulullah) will visit to your home, say to your wife to notice guests when they come out.”

That man informed the word of Rasulullah to his wife and she did what Rasulullah’s command. When the guest came, they took meat and fruits, when they came out, they took a snake and scorpion. Rasuluuah said, “A guest to your home come many blessings, when they go, they bring some disasters.” From that time, that woman became a person who accept her guest happily.

4. Refuse Rizq

One of home’s characteristic that have good rizq is a house where guests enjoy to come. “Indeed a guest who visit someone, bring rizq for that person from the sky, if he eat something, Allah will forgive that house owner. “ (Narrated by Muslim).

For example, when the Prophet Abraham are visited a guest who is an angel and that angel brought a good news (rizq of Allah SWT) about the birth of the Prophet Ishaq, whereas he was in his later years.

Indeed not all guests bring rizq as food or others, there are many types of rizq, it is not only something that can buy by money, but also it can be a sibling and good friends. A guest who come and get a warm welcome from the owner, will feel appreciated. By many guests, it can be a way to launch rizq in Islam, because there is not a little guest who bring rizq to the house owner.