Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
4. In the mubaarak Ahaadith, Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) advised the ummah as to which type of people one should invite to one’s home. Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said:
عن أبي سعيد، عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، قال: لا تصاحب إلا مؤمنا، ولا يأكل طعامك إلا تقي (سنن الترمذي، الرقم: 2395)
Hazrat Abu Sa’eed (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “Do not take anyone as a companion and friend besides a mu’min, and none should eat of your food except the pious (i.e. one should invite pious people to his home as his guests).”
In many Ahaadith, Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) has encouraged the ummah to show kindness and compassion to all the creation. Hence, one should show mercy to Muslims and non-Muslims and even the animals by feeding them and removing their hunger.
However, in this Hadith, Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) has guided the ummah in regard to which type of people one should call to his home and entertain as his guest.
Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) advised that one should only call pious people to one’s home. The reason is that when one invites people to one’s home, then one is associating with them and showing them a special type of honour. Hence, it is imperative for one to choose the right type of people to one’s home so that goodness enters one’s home.
If one calls evil people to one’s home and entertains them as guests, then it is possible that evil will enter his home. Therefore, we are taught that we should take people of piety and righteousness as guests to our home so that goodness enters our home.
Furthermore, the food which the host feeds the pious person will be a means of creating nutrition in his body and this will aid the pious person to carry out ibaadah (worship) for Allah Ta’ala. As long as that nourishment remains in his body and he worships Allah Ta’ala, the host will continue to receive reward for all the ibaadah which the pious person carries out for Allah Ta’ala.
