Aslam

r (2) The best food should served first before guests, so that they may eat with satisfaction . Don't eat much. The habit of voracious eaters is that they first serve inferior foods and then better foods. This is against the way of the Prophet . It was the custom of the earlier sages that they served all kinds. of food before their guests. A menu of food should be given \o each guest, so that he may know the particulars of food to be eaten by him. They remnants of food should not be taken away- till the guest finish eating. Serve before the guest^sufficient quantity of food as it is against gentle manliness to pres nt insufficient quantity of food before them. One day varieties of dishes were served before the sage Ibrahim-b-Adham. At that time, Sufyan Saori said to him : O father of Ishaq. don't you fear that it is extravagance? Ibrahim said : There is no extravagance in food.
Hazrat Ibn Masud said : We have been prohibited to accept invitation of one who takes pride in giving feast. Before going after feast, observe three rules (a). It is sunnat to go with the guest up to the door. It is within the ways of the Prophet to go up to the door with a guest. The Prophet said: Let him honour a guest who believes in God and the here- /after . The Prophet said : It appertains to sunnat to go up \k. the door to honour a guest.
Hazrat Abu Qatadah reported that when a deputation from the

18 The Book of Wordly Usages Vol-II

Negroes of Aby-sinia came to the Prophet, he began himself to serve them. His companions said to him : O messenger of God, we are sufficient for you. He said : Never, they honoured my companions and I wish to repay it ; (b) To welcome guests with a smiling face and with good words, to give them farewell and to feed them complete honour. The sage Aozayi was asked : What is the meaning of honouring guests ? He said : To welcome with a smiling face and to use sweet words. Give farewell to the guest with a pleased mind 'even though he might have defects. The Prophet said : A man can earn the rank of a fasting man and a praying man in this way.' (c) A guest should not leave without the permission of the host and without satisfying him. If you are a guest, don't reside with a host for more than three days, as many a time a host is vexed with a guest for his long stay. The Prophet said : Hospitality is for three days ; and if it exceed that, it - will be considered as an act of charity.' If the host requests the guest to stay longer with sincere heart, it is lawful for him to stay.
The Prophet said : one bed is for his host, one bed is for his wife, one bed for a guest and the fourth bed is for the devil.

RULES AND PROHIBITIONS IN FEAST