When one of you receives an invitation (for a meal), he should accept it. If he isn to fasting, he should eat, and if he is fasten, he should pray. Hisham said: The word salat means to pray (for him to Allah).
Abu Dawud said: This tradition has also been narrated by Hafs b. Ghiyath from Hisham.
Narrated by Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying:
Context
In this hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) instructs Muslims to accept invitations to meals, emphasizing the importance of hospitality. He advises that if one is fasting, they should pray instead of eating. This illustrates the balance between social obligations and personal religious practices.
Modern Application
In contemporary life, this principle encourages people to maintain social connections while observing their fasting. Accepting invitations and participating in gatherings can strengthen community bonds, even when one is observing a fast.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Eating Etiquette and Hospitality in Islam because it highlights the importance of responding to invitations while balancing personal fasting practices.
[Fasting for] a limited number of days. So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] - then an equal number of days [are to be made up]. And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] - a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day]. And whoever volunteers excess - it is better for him. But to fast is best for you, if you only knew.
And he who does not find [a slave] - then a fast for two months consecutively before they touch one another; and he who is unable - then the feeding of sixty poor persons. That is for you to believe [completely] in Allah and His Messenger; and those are the limits [set by] Allah. And for the disbelievers is a painful punishment.
So eat and drink and be contented. And if you see from among humanity anyone, say, 'Indeed, I have vowed to the Most Merciful abstention, so I will not speak today to [any] man.' "
There is not upon the blind [any] constraint nor upon the lame constraint nor upon the ill constraint nor upon yourselves when you eat from your [own] houses or the houses of your fathers or the houses of your mothers or the houses of your brothers or the houses of your sisters or the houses of your father's brothers or the houses of your father's sisters or the houses of your mother's brothers or the houses of your mother's sisters or [from houses] whose keys you possess or [from the house] of your friend. There is no blame upon you whether you eat together or separately. But when you enter houses, give greetings of peace upon each other - a greeting from Allah, blessed and good. Thus does Allah make clear to you the verses [of ordinance] that you may understand.
That they may witness benefits for themselves and mention the name of Allah on known days over what He has provided for them of [sacrificial] animals. So eat of them and feed the miserable and poor.
This hadith is #2461 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of Fasting (Kitab Al-Siyam). It is graded Da'if and narrated by Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying:.