Hospitality and Sharing: How the Salaf Lived

Muhammad b. Ziyâd said, “I met [some of] the Salaf. They would live in one building with their families. One of them might receive guests, and the cooking pot of another might be on the fire (with food being cooked). The host would take the pot to serve his guest, and the owner of the pot would find it had gone and would ask, “Who has taken the pot?” The host would reply, “We have taken it for our guest.” The owner would say, “May Allâh bless it for you,” or something similar. Baqîyah (one of the reporters) said, “Muhammad said, ‘And it was the same when they baked bread; and they had only a wall of reeds separating them in those days.’” Baqîyah added, “And I remember seeing such times with Muhammad b. Ziyâd and his friends.””

Al-Bukhârî, Al-Adab Al-Mufrad. Shaykh Al-Albânî (Sahîh Al-Adab Al-Mufrad p268) said this narration’s chain of narration is sahîh

Now i was thinking what a beautiful unity of love and caring and wanting for others what you have for yourselves, mahsaAllah. Sadly i don't seeto much of this even amoungst families, noone has time for one another these years. Sad really as they are loosing blessings.

Save yourselves and your families

Some narrations reported from the Salaf in explanation of what it means to protect oneself and one’s family as mentioned in Al-Tahrîm verse 6:

O you who believe! Protect yourselves and your families against a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels, stern and severe, and who disobey not the commands they receive from Allâh, but do that which they are commanded. [66:6]

· ‘Alî b. Abî Tâlib – Allah be pleased with him:

Discipline them, teach them.

· Ibn ‘Abbâs – Allah be pleased with them:

Stay obedient to Allâh, stay away from disobeying Allâh and command your families to remember Allâh, and He will save you from the Fire.

· Mujâhid – Allâh have mercy on him:

Fear Allâh and obey him (practice taqwâ) and tell your families to practice taqwâ.

· Qatâdah – Allâh have mercy on him:

A person protects his family by telling them to obey Allâh and forbidding them from disobeying Him. He upholds Allâh’s commandments and helps his family to uphold them. So if you see some disobedience of Allâh you stop them from doing it, and you reprimand them.

Al-Tabarî, Al-Tafsîr, Sûrah Al-Tahrîm