Masih Maud (AS) Day 2017

Hospitality in the Holy Quran [11:70] And surely, Our messengers came to Abraham with glad tidings. They said, ‘We bid you peace.’ He answered, ‘Peace be on you,’ and was not long in bringing a roasted calf.

Quran [59:10] And those who had established their home in this city before them and had accepted faith, love those who came to them for refuge, and find not in their breasts any desire for that which is given them (Refugees), but prefer the Refugees to themselves, even though poverty be their own lot. And whoso is rid of the covetousness of his own soul — it is these who will be successful.

Customs of the Prophets Hospitality is a courtesy that is mentioned in the Quran and one that has always been the custom of prophets of God and their followers. It is a means to develop mutual love as well as to make an impression on others and bring them closer and thus open ways of Tabligh. We are aware of the excellent model of honoring of guests of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and we know that his true and ardent devotee, the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) also paid great attention to this aspect. Friday sermon July 18th, 2008

Good Morality Hospitality is not a trivial practice. It is mentioned in the Quran. A worldly person of good morals is also hospitable, however when one is hospitable purely for the sake of God and not just to look after one’s personal guests or relatives, rather most selflessly does it to attain the pleasure of God, certainly such hospitality earns twice as much merit with God. The Holy Quran relates incidence about Hazrat Ibrahim (on whom be peace) and the excellence of his hospitality that how no sooner had his guests arrived that they were served an elaborate meal. When the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) received his first revelation and was awestruck by the experience, one of the qualities owing to which Hazrat Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her) spontaneously assured him that God could not be angry with him was his hospitality. Thus hospitality is not a trivial practice and is one of the qualities of Prophets of God. It is also a significant task among the tasks given to the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). God revealed to him that people in their multitudes would come to see him and he should not be weary of them and he should not be tired of meeting them. Friday sermon 8-31-2012

Significance of Hospitality in Islam Huzur (atba) said the significance of hospitality in Islam is great, he cited verse 70 of Surah Hud (11:70) and said that the essence of hospitality is that when guests arrive there should be no sense of frustration, rather whatever best one can arrange should be offered to the guests. Huzur said this verse does not in any way suggest that the food prepared for guests should be lavish. The verse speaks of a time when people kept goats and sheep and this was the source of readily available food. The true Islamic civility as regards hospitality is to serve the guests with cheerfulness. Friday sermon July 20th, 2007

The Promised Messiah’s (as) actions A guest visiting Qadian who had taken Bai’at and had a relationship of being a follower of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) was massaging his feet out of reverence. Just then a Hindu knocked on the door. The companion got up to answer the knock but the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) hastily got there first. He said the companion was a guest and the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) has said that guests should be honored. Here, we observe two aspects. He had allowed the companion to massage his feet owing to him being a follower but in his capacity as a guest the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) promptly extended respect to him by answering the door himself and also greeted the person who had come. Friday sermon August 14th, 2015

Treatment of Guests Once an Ahmadi guest traveled to Qadian during the winter months to meet the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace). It had been raining and he arrived in the evening. He had his evening meal and went to sleep. There was a knock on his door quite late in the night. He was astonished to see the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) on the doorstep holding a glass of warm milk in one hand and a lantern in the other. He said some milk had come by so he thought of offering it to his guest who was probably used to drinking milk. The guest was indeed moved to tears to see one commissioned by God serving him! Friday sermon, August 14th, 2015

Treating everyone fairly Once during the times of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) due to management mistakes guests were not served food properly. God informed the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) of this and he said that God had informed him that the previous night there was hypocrisy in serving food to the guests. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) dismissed the Langar workers for six months. In spite of his gentle nature he did not tolerate deficiency and hypocrisy in serving guests. He then personally overlooked Langer operations. Hospitality department needs to very careful. No one should have any complaint in any shape or form. Friday sermon August 14th, 2015 Note to Presenter: The presenter can go over the first 9 slides in 5-6 minutes and then the real meat of interaction is in slide 10. Let everyone give their view for 10 min and then close. 

Questions Please share your thoughts There is so much emphases laid on hospitality in Islam. Is it possible to host someone these times without being inconvenienced ? Are we slowly loosing the value of hospitality or have we lost it already in this busy life? When I travel, I rather stay at the hotel they are very convenient and I don’t want to bother anyone. “Guests can be a pain some times.” Please share your thoughts Note to Presenter: The real meat of interaction is in slide 10. Let everyone give their view for 10 min and then close. Any other thoughts or any inspirational story serving the guests of the Promised Messiah (as)

Divine Grace Hospitality in general and hospitality of the guests of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) in particular should be considered Divine grace and for this, services should be offered and executed with heightened fervor. An incidence from the life of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) shows how he looked after guests. Once he was quite unwell but when he heard that a guest had arrived, he promptly came outside. He said that he was not well enough to come outside on the day but a guest takes the trouble to come and has a right and the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) came out to fulfill that right of his guest. Friday sermon August 31st, 2012