Honoring the Honorable

دَخَلَ رَجُلَانِ عَلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع فَأَلْقَى لِكُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا وِسَادَةً فَقَعَدَ عَلَيْهَا أَحَدُهُمَا وَ أَبَى الْآخَرُ فَقَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع اقْعُدْ عَلَيْهَا فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَأْبَى الْكَرَامَةَ إِلَّا حِمَارٌ ثُمَّ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِذَا أَتَاكُمْ كَرِيمُ قَوْمٍ فَأَكْرِمُوهُ.

“Once two men came to Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) he prepared one seat for each one. One of them sat on the seat but the other refused. Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) said to him, ‘Take your seat; no one refuses to appreciate being honored except a donkey.’ The Imam then said, ‘The Messenger

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ إِذَا أَتَاكُمْ كَرِيمُ قَوْمٍ فَأَكْرِمُوهُ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘When a noble and honorable person of a people comes to you, you must treat him with honor.’”

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ لَمَّا قَدِمَ عَدِيُّ بْنُ حَاتِمٍ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ص أَدْخَلَهُ النَّبِيُّ ص بَيْتَهُ وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي الْبَيْتِ غَيْرُ خَصَفَةٍ[1] وَ وِسَادَةٍ مِنْ أَدَمٍ فَطَرَحَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص- لِعَدِيِّ بْنِ حَاتِمٍ.

“Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) has said, ‘When ‘Adi ibn Hatim came to the Holy Prophet, he brought him (‘Adi) to his house. In his house there was nothing to use as a seat except a sack (storage for dates) and a pillow made of animal skin. With such items the Messenger of Allah prepared a seat for ‘Adi ibn

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ إِنَّ مِنْ حَقِّ الدَّاخِلِ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ أَنْ يَمْشُوا مَعَهُ هُنَيْئَةً إِذَا دَخَلَ وَ إِذَا خَرَجَ وَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِذَا دَخَلَ أَحَدُكُمْ عَلَى أَخِيهِ الْمُسْلِمِ فِي بَيْتِهِ فَهُوَ أَمِيرٌ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى يَخْرُجَ‌[2].

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘It is of the rights of a newcomer on the people of the house to gently escort him when entering and leaving.’ The Imam said that the Messenger of Allah has said, ‘When anyone enters the house of his brother (in belief), the host then is his commander until he leaves.’”