16/16. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1432d — Unfair Walima Warning
The command to accept invitations
Unfair Walima Hadith and Invitation Manners
Sahih Muslim : 1432d
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1432d
وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ زِيَادَ بْنَ سَعْدٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ ثَابِتًا، الأَعْرَجَ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " شَرُّ الطَّعَامِ طَعَامُ الْوَلِيمَةِ يُمْنَعُهَا مَنْ يَأْتِيهَا وَيُدْعَى إِلَيْهَا مَنْ يَأْبَاهَا وَمَنْ لَمْ يُجِبِ الدَّعْوَةَ فَقَدْ عَصَى اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Abu Haraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) as saying. The worst kind of food is at the wedding feast from which one who comes is turned away, and he who refuses it is invited, and he who did not accept the invitation disobeyed Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ).
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1432dIn-book reference : Book 16, Hadith 127USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 8, Hadith 3353
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1432d
This Hadith gives a strong warning about an unfair wedding feast. Abu Huraira reported that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said the worst kind of food is at the wedding feast from which one who comes is turned away, while the one who refuses it is invited. The Hadith also says that whoever does not accept the invitation has disobeyed Allah and His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم). The wording points to two problems: hosts may treat people unfairly, and invited people may refuse the invitation. A walima should not be arranged in a way that pushes away those who come or favors only those who do not value it. The teaching is about fairness and proper response.
What we learn from this hadith
- Turning away those who come to a feast is condemned in the text.
- Inviting those who refuse while excluding others is unfair.
- An invited person should not ignore the invitation.
- Wedding feasts should be guided by fairness, not status games.
