عَنْ جَابِرٍ وَحُذَيْفَةَ قَالَا: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: كُلُّ مَعْرُوف صَدَقَة

Jabir RA and Hudhaifa RA reported Allah’s Messenger ﷺ as saying,

“Every act of kindness is sadaqa.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

Another narration explains it further;

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: كُلُّ مَعْرُوفٍ صَدَقَةٌ وَإِنَّ مِنَ الْمَعْرُوفِ أَنْ تَلْقَى أَخَاكَ بِوَجْهٍ طَلْقٍ وَأَنْ تُفْرِغَ مِنْ دَلْوِكَ فِي إِنَاءِ أَخِيكَ

Jabir RA reported Allah’s Messenger ﷺ as saying,

“Every act of kindness is sadaqa, and kindness includes meeting your brother with a cheerful face and pouring water from your bucket into your brother’s vessel.” [Ahmad and Tirmidhi]

A Muslim is truly fortunate because his every good deed reaps the reward of charity and in the light of other Aḥadith, we learn that charity will grow in reward.

The Hadith also indicates that charity is neither confined to physical spending, nor is it only the privilege of the wealthy.

EASY GOOD DEED – Respect for Guests

Showing respect and appropriate hospitality to guests is an important part of our religious behaviour and has been much emphasized.

Our Blessed Prophet ﷺ said:

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلاَ يُؤْذِ جَارَهُ، وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيُكْرِمْ ضَيْفَهُ، وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْرًا أَوْ لِيَصْمُتْ

Narrated Abu Hurairah RA: The Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should not hurt his neighbour and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should serve his guest generously and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should speak what is good or keep silent.” [Bukhari]

This injunction tells us to greet our guest cordially, to offer him food if it is time for eating. In fact one hadith tells us to prepare special food for the guest on the first day provided one can afford it.

عَنْ أَبِي شُرَيْحٍ الْكَعْبِيِّ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيُكْرِمْ ضَيْفَهُ، جَائِزَتُهُ يَوْمٌ وَلَيْلَةٌ، وَالضِّيَافَةُ ثَلاَثَةُ أَيَّامٍ، فَمَا بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَهْوَ صَدَقَةٌ، وَلاَ يَحِلُّ لَهُ أَنْ يَثْوِيَ عِنْدَهُ حَتَّى يُحْرِجَهُ

Narrated Abu Shuraih Al-Ka`bi RA: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should serve his guest generously. The guest’s reward is: To provide him with a superior type of food for a night and a day and a guest is to be entertained with food for three days, and whatever is offered beyond that, is regarded as something given in charity. And it is not lawful for a guest to stay with his host for such a long period so as to put him in a critical position.” [Bukhari]

The Sahabah RA despit them havig so little would go out of their way to entertain their guests.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، ‏.‏ أَنَّ رَجُلاً، مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ بَاتَ بِهِ ضَيْفٌ فَلَمْ يَكُنْ عِنْدَهُ إِلاَّ قُوتُهُ وَقُوتُ صِبْيَانِهِ فَقَالَ لاِمْرَأَتِهِ نَوِّمِي الصِّبْيَةَ وَأَطْفِئِي السِّرَاجَ وَقَرِّبِي لِلضَّيْفِ مَا عِنْدَكِ – قَالَ – فَنَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ ‏{‏ وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ‏}

Abu Hurairah RA reported that a guest spent the night with a person from the Ansar who had nothing with him but food (sufficient) for his own self and his children. He said to his wife:

(Lull) the children to sleep, and put out the lamp, and serve the guest with what you have with you. It was on this occasion that this verse was revealed: “Those who prefer the needy to their own selves in spite of the fact that they are themselves in pressing need” [Muslim]

However, unnecessary and senseless show and pomp and observance of formalities and customs should be avoided. First of all, one should care for the guest’s comfort: hence one should not insist upon feeding him if that would cause him pain or trouble. In such a case his comfort and will should be respected.

Guests too should not unnecessarily burden the host and should not overstay; it has been expressly forbidden in the Hadith as we have quoted above.