hospitality
Editorial introduction
A thorn-picker’s wife in Baghdad burned the little cake she made for her guest, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá called it the best reception He ever attended. Food, He says, is to be judged by the love it is seasoned with, not by what is on the table. From that beginning hospitality widens outward: a neighbour is to be treated as kin, a stranger honoured simply for being a stranger, a believer arriving in a new city received with gladness and brought into the company of friends. Abraham, who hurried to welcome three travellers at his tent, is held up as the ancestor of this virtue [1]. Open doors, a boiling samovar, late arrivals, a host worn out by a long day: the welcome costs something, and a thoughtful guest learns to honour the host’s means and time as well as the meal. The same spirit animates the courtesy that shapes a culture, the care we show the person next door, and the feasts and devotional gatherings in which a community learns to be at home with itself.
Once when I lived in Baghdad I was invited to the home of a poor thorn-picker. In Baghdad the heat is even more intense that in Syria and it was a very hot day. But I walked twelve miles to the thorn-pickeris hut. Then his wife made a little cake out of some meal for me, and burnt it in cooking it. Still that was the best reception I ever attended.
You must not look at the quality of the thing served at the table, you must always consider whether your host loves you or not. If he loves you and the food served is seasoned with love then there is no better food than that.
Although he was not well off yet he was open-handed and generous, the door of his home was open always and friends and strangers received a cheering welcome. His simple but hearty feasts were ever remembered.
My home is the home of joy and delight. My home is the home of laughter and exultation. Whosoever enters through the portals of this home must go out with a gladsome heart. This is the home of Light, whosoever enters therein must become illumined.
Notwithstanding this, my house is open to all. He who wishes may enter and he who wishes to go out may leave.
O respected neighbor, upon whom be the Most Glorious Glory of God!
Blessed Baha'u'llah gave emphatic counsel regarding neighbors, that one should consider neighbors as kith and kin.
But the Khan's cousin and relatives who are in America also have good intentions, and the friends of God must show them the utmost kindness because these souls are strangers, and strangers must be honored. … Human beings deserve respect, especially strangers. The divine friends must become the comfort of every stranger except the accursed one, and be the cause of joy to every sorrowful one, the shelter of every fearful one, and the consoler of every lonely one.
O thou who art hospitable to the strangers in God's path! Blessed art thou, for thou hast become the host to the captives of the All-Merciful and hast arisen to serve the wayfarers and wanderers on the path of the Lord.
Blessed are you who, like your illustrious ancestor the blessed Abraham, are hospitable to guests and pride and glory yourselves in service to the Sacred Threshold.
If a believer enter a city, the believers of that city must receive him with the utmost cordiality. They must be happy that one of the believers of God has entered into that city. They must show him the greatest hospitality, present him in their assembly, and exercise toward him the utmost kindness and consideration.
They should receive them most warmly and strive without limit to ensure they are pleased and satisfied.
Everyone who reached his guesthouse and came here and met him opened their tongue in praise, saying that that cultured soul has a sweet melody and an attractive manner with both friend and stranger, showing kindness to everyone and rendering service.
In the beginning he must show him the beauty of friendship and hospitality in a practical way - so that he may not shun his association, then little by little he may teach him the truth.
O honored guest, welcome, welcome!
The doors are open and the dwelling is the banquet-hall of the All-Loving Lord. The ship is ready and the way is clear, the companions are in harmony, and the place is adorned. The pot is boiling and the samovar is whistling, and the host, his honor Aqa Muhammad Hasan, is present and waiting.
You host every arrival and accompany every departure with utmost respect. You constantly spread the feast of hospitality, arrange gatherings of love, prepare celebrations of joy for the friends, and set an abundant table. The samovars are always boiling and hearts are aflame with the fire of the love of God. Spiritual sustenance is present and delicious physical food is available.
You have extended hospitality. Night and day you have been ready to serve and to diffuse the divine fragrances.
Often in the middle of night when I was in bed, they would bring to me the word that such and such a person had called and I would get up and dress again to receive him.
Such a traveler and guest causes much trouble and you need to leave the house and run away. Every traveler and guest in any city associates with specific people at specific times, but you have to host the public from morning until evening.
During the course of the meal 'Abdu'l-Baha noticed that Bahiyyih was eating only sparingly of the delicious Persian rice, and He said: "Rice, you do not like it? Rice is good, eat it. Perhaps you will not like the next course."
As he was going to stay only a few days - not desiring to rent a room - he came and stayed with our friends in the small crowded room. Of course they did not mind him. They hailed him as a brother, expecting that he will also enter in the spirit of their inner joy.
Among the Arabs it is customary that if someone drinks another's coffee and then betrays him, it is considered reprehensible. They say: "How could he drink his coffee and then betray him, oppose him, and act against him?"
A new letter was also written and sent in detail. This year, praise be to God, you were enabled to provide food and feasting time after time and occasion after occasion. In your words, may it continue! The Command is in God's hands, the Lord of creation. You should be occupied with preparations while the guests are getting ready.
Having made the fire, he threw upon it some lumps of dough which he made before us with no yeast to raise it. This was his bread which he threw upon the fire to bake by covering it with ashes! After a few minutes he took the lumps out of the fire. The outside was burnt while the inside was plain dough. Then he brought some dates and served us with the bread. Because he was a true believer and had a great love, that plain coarse food tasted so delicious that we all enjoyed it. He had great faith and our presence filled him with joy.
When I was in Baghdad, a thorn seller invited us. His dwelling was twenty miles from Baghdad. He had a hut made of reeds. He invited us there.
But I had never eaten such a delicious food, for it had been cooked with love.
At night she prepared another in the same way. It was warm dough and dates, but we ate it with relish. Its taste is still in my mind. How completely that man and wife were filled with love.
For thought and discussion