Is the right of hospitality obligatory for the Muslim, or is it recommended?
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The questioner : This questioner, Abu Hamid from Riyadh, asks: Is the right of hospitality obligatory for the Muslim, or is it recommended?
The Shaykh : The right of hospitality is obligatory for the Muslim, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)Sahih Muslim 47a This is to be done according to the guest. Some guests are honored greatly, some are honored moderately, and some are honored to a lesser degree. There are guests for whom giving them money to go to a hotel or the like is considered honoring them. It varies according to the people and also according to the circumstances. The host who the guest stays with may not have enough space to bring him into his house and honor him there, so he sends him to a hotel and pays for it.
It may also be the custom that hospitality is provided in a hotel, and the host pays for the guest who stays with him, or something similar to that. The important thing is that this depends on custom, and hospitality is obligatory.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : The right of hospitality is obligatory for the Muslim, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
he who believes in Allah and the Last Day should treat his neighbour with kindness
من كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الأخر فليُكرم جارهIt may also be the custom that hospitality is provided in a hotel, and the host pays for the guest who stays with him, or something similar to that. The important thing is that this depends on custom, and hospitality is obligatory.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.