Hospitality in the Qu'ran
Ideas on Cultural Hospitality in the Quran
The virtues within the Qur’an regarding hospitality and generosity seem to be a product of the landscape of pre- Islamic Arabia. Indeed, the arid environment and tribal configuration of the society required that neighbors help each other, strangers or travelers be given food, and wealth be distributed evenly throughout the clan. The communities that settled along the trade routes of the Arabian Peninsula relied on merchants returning to their community to trade goods. One way to ensure this was to make the merchant feel welcome and become a temporary part of the household. Another way to guarantee their return would be ensuring the merchant survived the harsh climate of the desert, so community members would give them food and water enough to reach another refuge (Izutsu 75-76). It is no wonder, then, the harsh landscape that gave birth to the three great monotheistic religions produced a ritual culture with an emphasis on the virtue of hospitality and generosity. However, while there are many verses in the Qur’an about generosity and kindness, there are few that directly discuss hospitality, or ziyafah. Most of the cultural and ritual practices of hospitality, while they became a part of culture during the pre- Islamic period, have been filled in by hadith and other early sayings from Muslim leaders.
Hospitality and generosity towards guests were a natural part of Bedouin culture in pre- Islamic Arabia, and have grown to become an integral part of Muslim faith throughout Islam. In actuality the connection between hospitality and survival is easily seen, but the reason for its staying power may be lesser known. Pre- Islamic Arabs viewed generosity as an indicator of a man’s honor (Izutsu, 76). Thus, as a man’s perceived generosity increased, the tribe correlated an increase in his honor. As a commodity, honor in a tribal setting is priceless, and would dictate a male member’s status in the areas of marriage,
The virtues within the Qur’an regarding hospitality and generosity seem to be a product of the landscape of pre- Islamic Arabia. Indeed, the arid environment and tribal configuration of the society required that neighbors help each other, strangers or travelers be given food, and wealth be distributed evenly throughout the clan. The communities that settled along the trade routes of the Arabian Peninsula relied on merchants returning to their community to trade goods. One way to ensure this was to make the merchant feel welcome and become a temporary part of the household. Another way to guarantee their return would be ensuring the merchant survived the harsh climate of the desert, so community members would give them food and water enough to reach another refuge (Izutsu 75-76). It is no wonder, then, the harsh landscape that gave birth to the three great monotheistic religions produced a ritual culture with an emphasis on the virtue of hospitality and generosity. However, while there are many verses in the Qur’an about generosity and kindness, there are few that directly discuss hospitality, or ziyafah. Most of the cultural and ritual practices of hospitality, while they became a part of culture during the pre- Islamic period, have been filled in by hadith and other early sayings from Muslim leaders.
Hospitality and generosity towards guests were a natural part of Bedouin culture in pre- Islamic Arabia, and have grown to become an integral part of Muslim faith throughout Islam. In actuality the connection between hospitality and survival is easily seen, but the reason for its staying power may be lesser known. Pre- Islamic Arabs viewed generosity as an indicator of a man’s honor (Izutsu, 76). Thus, as a man’s perceived generosity increased, the tribe correlated an increase in his honor. As a commodity, honor in a tribal setting is priceless, and would dictate a male member’s status in the areas of marriage,
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