What is the meaning of the حديث: "Do not burden yourselves for a guest," and does it include financial burden and physical effort, and is the prohibition in it for tahrim (prohibition) or karaha (dislike)?
The prohibition against going to excessive lengths for a guest means not overburdening oneself beyond one's capacity or taking out a loan to honor them, because Islamic law commands honoring guests within the limits of one's means and ability. This aims to prevent the host from overexerting themselves and to put the guest at ease. However, if the host is wealthy and able, they may strive to honor their guest with what is within their means, as Abraham (peace be upon him) did. Extravagance or going to excessive lengths for the purpose of showing off must be avoided.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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