A Man’s Finding Comfort in the House of His Brother (in belief)

رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مِنْ تَكْرِمَةِ الرَّجُلِ لِأَخِيهِ أَنْ يَقْبَلَ تُحْفَتَهُ وَ أَنْ يُتْحِفَهُ بِمَا عِنْدَهُ وَ لَا يَتَكَلَّفَ لَهُ شَيْئاً وَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِنِّي لَا أُحِبُّ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Of a man’s honoring his brother (in belief) is to accept his gift and present him a gift of what he has and should not overburden himself.’ The Messenge

الْمُؤْمِنُ لَا يَحْتَشِمُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ وَ لَا يُدْرَى أَيُّهُمَا أَعْجَبُ الَّذِي يُكَلِّفُ أَخَاهُ إِذَا دَخَلَ أَنْ يَتَكَلَّفَ لَهُ أَوِ الْمُتَكَلِّفُ لِأَخِيهِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘A believing man should not behave formally toward his brother (in belief). One will not know which is stranger; the one who overburdens his brother to be formal or the one who behaves unnecessarily formal with his brother (in belief).”’

جَاءَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سِنَانٍ فَقَالَ هَلْ عِنْدَكَ شَيْ‌ءٌ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ فَبَعَثْتُ ابْنِي فَأَعْطَيْتُهُ دِرْهَماً يَشْتَرِي بِهِ لَحْماً وَ بَيْضاً فَقَالَ لِي أَيْنَ أَرْسَلْتَ ابْنَكَ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ فَقَالَ رُدَّهُ رُدَّهُ عِنْدَكَ زَيْتٌ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ هَاتِهِ فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ هَلَكَ امْرُؤٌ احْتَقَرَ لِأَخِيهِ مَا يَحْضُرُهُ وَ هَلَكَ امْرُؤٌ احْتَقَرَ لِأَخِيهِ مَا

“Once ‘Abd Allah ibn Sinan came to me and asked, ‘Do you have anything?’ I replied, ‘Yes, I have something.’ I then sent my son and gave him two dirham to buy meat and eggs. He asked, ‘Where did you send your son?’ I then informed him about it. He said, ‘Call him back. Do you have any oil?’ I replied, ‘Yes, we have oil

إِنَّ حَارِثاً الْأَعْوَرَ أَتَى أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع وَ قَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أُحِبُّ أَنْ تُكْرِمَنِي بِأَنْ تَأْكُلَ عِنْدِي فَقَالَ لَهُ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع عَلَى أَنْ لَا تَتَكَلَّفَ لِي شَيْئاً وَ دَخَلَ فَأَتَاهُ الْحَارِثُ بِكِسْرَةٍ فَجَعَلَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع يَأْكُلُ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْحَارِثُ إِنَّ مَعِي دَرَاهِمَ وَ أَظْهَرَهَا فَإِذَا هِيَ فِي كُمِّهِ فَإِنْ أَذِنْتَ لِي اشْتَرَيْ

“Harith al-A‘war once came to ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), and said, ‘O ’Amir al- Mu’minin, I wish you grant me the honor of having food with me. ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), said, ‘I accept your invitation, provided, that you do not overburden yourself by acting formally’. He (the Imam) went to his house. Harith brought a p

يُهْلِكُ الْمَرْءَ الْمُسْلِمَ‌[1] أَنْ يَسْتَقِلَّ مَا عِنْدَهُ لِلضَّيْفِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘A man who looks down on what he has for the guest is ruined.’”

إِذَا أَتَاكَ أَخُوكَ فَأْتِهِ بِمَا عِنْدَكَ وَ إِذَا دَعَوْتَهُ فَتَكَلَّفْ لَهُ.

‘If your brother (in belief) comes to you, then serve him with whatever you have, but if you invite him then you can act formally (as you like).”’