Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
21. When one is invited by his Muslim brother to come to his home, then he should accept the invitation. Upon going to the home, if he is offered something to eat or drink (e.g. partaking of a meal or having a cup of tea or coffee), then he should partake of that which is offered to him.
However, if he has an excuse not to partake of the meal (e.g. he is fasting), then he should politely excuse himself by informing the host that he is fasting. In this case, by accepting the invitation and coming to the home, he will be rewarded by Allah Ta’ala, and he has fulfilled the sunnah of accepting an invitation. Accepting an invitation does not mean that one will have to partake of the meals.
However, in the case where one receives an invitation by a Muslim to come to his home for meals and one accepts the invitation, then one should not keep a fast (nafl fast) on that day as the host and his family have made preparations and have gone out of their way to prepare meals for the guest. By the guest going to the home of the host and not partaking of the meals, he will be causing inconvenience to the host and his family who have prepared for him.
عن أبي هريرة، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: إذا دعي أحدكم، فليجب، فإن كان صائما، فليصل، وإن كان مفطرا، فليطعم (صحيح مسلم، الرقم: 1431)
Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “If anyone of you is invited to someone’s home, then he should accept. If he is fasting, then he should make dua (for the host and his family), and if he is not fasting, then he should partake of the meals (that is offered to him).”
