Reference:[From Mizan al Hikmat -- Nahjul Balaghah, Sermon 142]
Description: Imam Ali (a.s.) was once seen sad and asked the reason for it, so he replied, ‘Because it has been seven days since we have had no guests.’
الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) ـ لَمّا رُئيَ حَزينا فسُئلَ عن عِلَّتِهِ ـ: لِسَبعٍ أتَتْ لَم يَضِفْ إلَينا ضَيفٌ .
Reference:[From Mizan al Hikmat -- Bihar al-Anwar, v. 41, p. 28, no. 1]
Description: The Prophet (S) said, ‘Invite one whom you love in the way of Allah to partake of your food as a guest.’
Reference:[From Mizan al Hikmat -- Kanz al-’Ummal, no. 25881]
Description: The Prophet (S) said, ‘It is an abominable act to accept the invitation of someone whose banquet is only attended by the rich and not the poor.’
Reference:[From Mizan al Hikmat -- al-Da’aawat, p. 141, no. 358]
Description: The Prophet (S) said, ‘I advise both the present and the absent ones from my community to accept the invitation of a fellow Muslim, even if it be five miles away, for verily that is a part of religion.’
رسولُ اللّٰهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): أُوصِي الشاهِدَ مِن اُمَّتي والغائبَ أن يُجِيبَ دَعوَةَ المُسلِمِ ـ ولَو علي خَمسَةِ أميالٍ ـ ؛ فإنّ ذلكَ مِن الدِّينِ.
Reference:[From Mizan al Himat -- al-Mahasin, v. 2, p. 180, no. 1510]
Description: The Prophet (S) said, ‘It is loathsome that a man be invited to a meal and does not accept, or accepts but does not eat.’
رسولُ اللّٰهِ (صَلَّيَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): مِن الجَفاءِ ... أن يُدعَي الرَّجُلُ إلي طَعامٍ فلا يُجِيبَ أو يُجِيبَ فلا يَأكُلَ.
Reference:[From Mizan al Hikmat -- Qurb al-Isnad, p. 160, no. 583]
Description: The Prophet (S) said, ‘It is enough of a sin for a man to deem that which brings him close to his fellow brothers as burdensome, and it is enough of a sin for a people to deem burdensome that which draws a fellow brother close to them.’
رسولُ اللّٰهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): كَفي بِالمَرءِ إثماً أن يَستَقِلَّ ما يُقَرِّبُ إلي إخوانِهِ، وكَفي بِالقَومِ إثما أن يَستَقِلُّوا ما يُقَرِّبُهُ إلَيهِم أخُوهُم.
Reference:[From Mizan al Hikmat -- al-Mahasin, v. 2, p. 186, no. 1533]
Description: The Prophet (S) said, ‘No one should go to troubles that they cannot afford for a guest.’
رسولُ اللّٰهِ (صَلَّيَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): لا يَتَكَلَّفَنَّ أحَدٌ لِضَيفِهِ ما لا يَقدِرُ .
Reference:[From Mizan al Hikmat -- Kanz al-’Ummal, no. 25876]
Description: Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) said, ‘If your brother comes to your house [uninvited] then offer him whatever you have in the house, and if you invite him, then make a special effort for him.’
الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): إذا أتاكَ أخُوك فَآتِهِ بما عِندَك، وإذا دَعَوتَهُ فَتَكَلَّفْ لَهُ .
Reference:[From Mizan al Hikmat -- al-Mahasin, v. 2, p. 179, no. 1506]
Description: The Prophet (S) said, ‘Whoever wants to be loved by Allah and His Prophet should eat with his guest.’
Reference:[From Mizan al Hikmat -- Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 2, p. 116]
Description: The Prophet (S) said, ‘When one of you is invited for a meal, he must not bring along his son with him too, for verily it is prohibited for him to do so and he enters the house unlawfully.’
رسولُ اللّٰهِ (صَلَّيَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): إذا دُعِيَ أحَدُكُم إلي طَعامٍ فلا يَستَتبِعَنَّ وَلَدَهُ؛ فإنّهُ إن فَعَلَذلكَ كانَ حَراماً ودَخَلَ عاصياً.
Reference:[From Mizan al Hikmat -- al-Mahasin, v. 2, p. 181, no. 1515]
Description: The Prophet (S) said, ‘A guest may expect to be honoured for two nights, then from the third night onwards he is considered to be one of the family and must eat whatever he gets.’
Reference:[From Mizan al Hikmat -- al-Kafi, v. 6, p. 183, no. 6]
Description: The Prophet (S) said, ‘Hospitality towards a guest is incumbent for the first day, the second day and the third day. After that, anything you give him is considered as charity towards him on your behalf.’
رسولُ اللّٰهِ (صَلَّيَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): الضِّيافَةُ أوَّلُ يَومٍ والثاني والثالثُ، وما بعدَ ذلكَ فإنّها صَدَقةٌ تَصَدّق بها علَيهِ.
Reference:[From Mizan al hikmat -- al-Kafi, v. 6, p. 183, no. 2]
Description: The Prophet (S) said, ‘Hosting a banquet the first day is reasonable, the second day is an act of courtesy, and any more than that is showing-off and seeking repute.’
Reference:[From Mizan al Hikmat -- al-Kafi, v. 5, p. 368, no. 4]
Description: Imam al-Baqir (a.s.) said, ‘When someone enters the house of his fellow brother, he must sit wherever the host tells him to sit for the owner of the house knows the flaws of his own house better than the guest.’
الإمامُ الباقرُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): إذا دَخَلَ أحَدُكُم علي أخيهِ في رَحلِهِ فَلْيَقعُدْ حيثُ يَأمُرُ صاحِبُ الرَّحلِ؛فإنّ صاحِبَ الرَّحلِأعرَفُ بِعَورَةِ بَيتِهِ مِنالداخِلِ علَيهِ.
Reference:[From Mizan al Hikmat -- Bihar al-Anwar, v. 75, p. 451, no. 2]