Hospitality - Ikram al-Dayf
The sacred duty of generous hospitality to guests, a hallmark of Islamic culture.
Ikram al-Dayf (إكرام الضيف) is honoring guests with generous hospitality. The Prophet (PBUH) said: 'Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him honor his guest.' Hospitality includes providing food, lodging, and comfort. The guest has rights for three days; beyond that, it becomes charity. Ibrahim (AS) is the model host, rushing to prepare a feast for his angelic guests. This ethic transformed Arabian tribal hospitality into a religious duty. Ibrahim's rush to feast his guests is recounted in Surah Hud and Surah adh-Dhariyat.
Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him honor his guest.
The Prophet Ibrahim rushed to prepare a roasted calf for guests he did not know—angels in disguise. His example sets the standard for hospitality in Islam.
Sahih Bukhari
Written about in
- What Islam says about community
Honouring a guest is tied directly to belief. Hospitality is therefore not a cultural nicety in this framing but a test of the thing itself.