Chapter: Encouragement to Honour the Guest

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It is reported on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed:

He who believes in Allah and the Last Day should either utter good words or better keep silence; and he who believes in Allah and the Last Day should treat his neighbour with kindness and he who believes in Allah and the Last Day should show hospitality to his guest.

Benefits taken from an-Nawawi:

-Looking after the guest is for a day and a night is Wajib with Ahmad, after that it's Mustahab, because there is a narration to that effect. 

Nawawi opines that it's always Mustahab as is the opinion of the majority. 

[TN: al-Uthaymeen states that the correct opinion is that a traveller that is described as passing by (المجتاز به), is only for a day and a night, otherwise there is no further obligation but it is Mustahab if they stay longer than a day a night to host/support them]

-Malik and Ahmad stated that it's only for those who travel and pass by a rural village. They argued that a travelling through another city usually doesn't need any support. 

Ash-Shafi stated that it's general for all travellers/guests and that the correct view.

[TN: al-Uthaymeen states that its an obligation if the person needs a place to stay, as the Hadeeth is general]

-One must think before speaking and it's implications, as speaking takes the ruling of being wajib, or mustahab, or mubah, or makrooh or haraam.

-Ibn Abbaas stated that one will only be held to account for which is not Mubaah. 

-The best of manners can be found in four Ahadeeth and all of them involve talking: don't get angry, be quiet, leave what doesn't concern you, and to love for your brother.

-Al-Qushayree said silence is a sign of manhood and speaking with wisdom is the highest of states. Being quiet with the truth is like that of a mute Shaytaan. Therefore, one's silence must have a cause just like one's talking.

-Fudayl said if one compared how much he talked to his level of knowledge, he would find himself refraining from speaking quite often.

[Sharh Muslim 2/23-27]

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