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In the Quran 49:13
God says to the people, “We created you all from a single man and a single
woman, and made you into nations and tribes so that you should know one
another. The noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the best of you in
conduct.”
This call to imitate
God in mercy, graciousness and righteousness does not single out any particular
race or religion, but speaks of all humanity as being aware of God’s goodness
and desiring to please God by doing what is right and good and just. The worth of hospitality is not to be found
in the quality of food or shelter offered to the guest, but in the good will
that comes from the attentive and respectful relationship between the host and
guest.
Irving Bunim wrote
in Ethics from Sinai, “The value of such hospitality did not lie simply in the
assistance it provided for the guests, but more so in the beneficial influence
that such guests could have on the host and his family." The ethical and moral commitment to extend
hospitality to the stranger was a core value in Judaism and Christianity as
they developed.
