XVII. Visiting and Guests

XVII. Visiting and Guests

158. Do not honour your guest in a way which will be burdensome for him 344. Ibn 'Awn reported, "They used to say, 'Do not honour your guest in a way which will be burdensome for him.'" 159. Visiting 345. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "When a man visits his brothers, Prophet tells him, 'You have been good and your evening will be good and you can take your place in the Garden.'" 346. Umm ad-Darda' said, "Salman came from al-Mada'in (Ctesiphon) to Syria to visit us on foot wearing a shirt (kisa') and trousers." Shawdhab said, "Salman was seen wearing a short with all his hair shaved off and his large ears showing. He was told, 'You have made yourself ugly.' He replied, "The real good is the good of the Next World.'" 160. Someone who visits people and eats with them 347. Anas ibn Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, visited one of the houses of the Ansar and ate some food with them. When he left, he asked for a place in the house and some water was sprinkled on a carpet for him. He prayed on it and made supplication for them. 348. 'Abdullah, the client of Asma', said, "Asma' sent me a black wool shirt which had a brocade border a span wide on its sleeves. She said, 'This is the of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He used to wear it for delegations and on Jumu'a." 349. 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar said, "'Umar found a silk robe and brought it to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, 'Buy this and wear it on Jumbo's and when delegations come to you.' The Prophet, peace be upon him, replied, 'Only someone who has no portion in the Next World wears this.' Then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was brought some robes and sent one robe to 'Umar, one to Usama, and one to 'Ali. 'Umar said, 'Messenger of Allah! You have sent this to me when I heard you say what you said about it.' The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'You can sell it or take care of your needs with it.'" 161. The Excellence of Visiting 350. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "A man visited a brother of his in a village, so Allah put an angel in wait for him on the road. He asked, 'Where are you going?' He replied, 'To a brother of mine in this village.' He said, 'Is he responsible for some blessing you have?' He said, 'No, I love him for Allah.' He said, 'I am a messenger of Allah to you. Allah loves you as you love him.'" 162. When a man loves people and cannot join them 351. Abu Dharr said, "I asked, 'Messenger of Allah, what if a man loves a people but cannot join them?' He replied, 'Abu Dharr, you are with the one you love.' I said, 'I love Allah and His Messenger.' He said, 'Abu Dharr, you are with the one you love.'" 352. Anas reported that a man asked the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, "Prophet of Allah, when will the Final Hour come?" He said, "Have you not made preparation for it?" He replied, " I am not prepared for a terrible event , but I love Allah and His Messenger." He said, "A man is with the one he loves." Anas remarked, "I never saw the Muslims rejoice, except for the day that they became Muslim, more than they rejoiced on that day."

XVIII. The Elderly

163. The excellence of the older person 353. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Anyone who does not show mercy to our children nor acknowledge the right of our old people is not one of us." 354. 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As reported that it reached him that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Anyone who does not show mercy to our children nor acknowledge the right of our old people is not one of us." 355. The same from 'Amr ibn Shu'ayb. 356. The same from Abu Umama. 164. Respect for the Old 357. Al-Ash'ari said, "Part of respect for Allah is to show respect to an old Muslim and to someone who knows the Quran, as long as he does not go to excess in it nor turn away from it, and to respect a just ruler." 358. Same as 354. 165. The old person should be the first to speak and ask 359. Rafi' ibn Khudayj and Sahl ibn Abi Hathama reported that 'Abdullah ibn Sahl and Muhayyisa ibn Mas'ud came to Khaybar and parted when they were among the palm trees. 'Abdullah ibn Sahl was murdered. 'Abdu'r-Rahman ibn Sahl and Huwayyisa and Muhayyisa, the sons of Mas'ud came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and spoke to him about their (murdered) companion. 'Abdu'r-Rahman, the youngest of those present, began to speak, but the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Let the oldest speak first." (or "Exalt the eldest.") They spoke about their companion and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked, "Will fifty of you take an oath that you are entitled to the blood-money of your murdered man?" They replied, "Messenger of Allah, this is something which we did not see." He said, "Then will the Jews exonerate themselves by the oaths of fifty of them?" They protested, "Messenger of Allah, they are unbelievers!" So the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, himself paid his blood money." 166. When an older person does not speak, can the youngest speak then? 360. Ibn 'Umar said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Tell me which tree is like the Muslim? It gives fruits at all times by the permission of its Lord and its leaves do not fall.' It occurred to me that it was the palm tree, but I did not want to speak as Abu Bakr and 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, were both present. When they did not speak, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'It is the palm tree.' When I left with my father, I said, 'Father, I thought that it was the palm,.' He asked, 'What kept you from saying that? If you had said so, I would have preferred that to such-and-such.' I said, 'What kept me from doing so was that I did not see you or Abu Bakr speak, so I did not like to speak out.'" 167. Making the old leaders 361. Hakim ibn Qays ibn 'Asim reported that then his father was dying. he enjoined his sons: "Fear Allah and make the oldest among you your leaders. When people make the oldest among them their leaders, they follow their fathers. When they make the youngest among them their leaders, that lowers them in the sight of their peers. You must have wealth and use it well. It is an impetus for the generous and it will make you independent of critics. Beware of asking people. It is a man's last source of earning. When I die, do not wail. There was no wailing for the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. When I die, bury me in land where the Bakr ibn Wa'il will not know where I am died. I used to waylay on the roads in the time of the Jahiliyya."

168. Fruits are given to the youngest of children 362. Abu Hurayra said, "When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was brought new dates, he said, 'O Allah! Bless us in our city and in our mudd and sa', blessing upon blessing.' Then he would give one to the youngest of the children with him." 169. Mercy towards children 363. 'Amr ibn Shu'ayb reported from his grandfather that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Anyone who does not show mercy to our children nor acknowledge the right of our old people is not one of us." 170. Embracing children 364. Ya'la ibn Murra said, "We went out with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and we were invited to eat. Husayn was playing in the road and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, raced the people and then spread out his arms. The boy began to run this way and that and the Prophet made him laugh until he caught hold of him. He put one of his hands under his chin and the other on his head and then embraced him. Then the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Husayn is from me and I am from Husayn. Allah loves anyone who loves Husayn. Al-Husayn is one of my distinguished descendants.'" 171. A man kissing a small girl 365. Bukayr reported that he saw 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far kissing Zaynab, the daughter of 'Umar ibn Abi Salama when she was about two years old. 366. Al-Hasan said, "If you avoid looking at the hair of anyone in your family except your wife or a little girl, then do so." 172. Stroking a child's head 367. Yusuf ibn 'Abdullah ibn Sallam said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, named me Yusuf and let me sit in his room and stroked my head." 368. 'A'isha said, "I used to play with dolls in the presence of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and my friends would play with me. When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, entered, they would hide from him and he would call them to join me and they would play with me." 173. A man saying, "My son" to a child 369. Abu'l-'Ajlan al-Muharibi said, "While I was in the army of Ibn az-Zubayr, a cousin of mine died and bequeathed one of his camels to be used in the Cause of Allah. I told his son, 'Give me the camel since I was in the army of Ibn az-Zubayr.' He replied, 'Let us go to Ibn 'Umar and ask him about the matter.' We went to Ibn 'Umar and he said, 'Abu 'Abdu'r-Rahman, my father died and bequeathed one of his camels to be used in the Cause of Allah. This is my cousin who is in the army of Ibn az-Zubayr. Shall I give him the camel?' Ibn 'Umar replied, 'My son, the Cause of Allah includes every good action. if you father left his camel to be devoted to the Cause of Allah, I see that there are Muslim people who are carrying out expeditions against the idolaters, so give the camel to them. This man (Abu'l-'Ajlan) and his companions are sons of a people who wish to use the seal (i.e. the seal authority, meaning to rule the people.).'" 370. Jarir reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Allah Almighty will not show mercy to the person who does not show mercy to other people." 371. 'Umar was heard to say, "Anyone who does not show mercy will not be shown mercy. Anyone who does not forgive will not be forgiven. Anyone who does not pardon will not be pardoned or protected."