Data Ganj Bakhsh and Lessons In Etiquette

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Data Ganj Bakhsh and Lessons In Etiquette
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them, he welcomed them warmly, seated them, immediately prepared food and served it to the guests. The visitors were angels, and angels do not eat or drink. When they did not eat, he realised they were angels. Allah Almighty mentioned this incident in the Holy Quran as follows:

وَ لَقَدْ جَآءَتْ رُسُلُنَاۤ اِبْرٰهِیْمَ بِالْبُشْرٰى قَالُوْا سَلٰمًاؕ-قَالَ سَلٰمٌ فَمَا لَبِثَ اَنْ جَآءَ بِعِجْلٍ حَنِیْذٍ(۶۹)

And Our angels came to Ibrāhīm with glad tidings. They said, “Peace (salām).” He replied, “Peace”, and did not delay in bringing a roasted calf.^{^[1]}

Dātā Ganj Bakhsh رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ states: Look! Sayyidunā Ibrāhīm عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم did not even ask the guests where they had come from, where they were going, or what their names were. He promptly engaged with showing them hospitality.^{^[2]}

We should also adopt such conduct towards guests. When our dear relatives come as guests, we certainly show them hospitality. If a stranger arrives, we should not fall short in honouring them either.

Etiquettes of Eating and Drinking

Dātā Ganj Bakhshرَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ states: A human cannot survive without food. However, one condition of etiquette in consuming food is to avoid overindulgence (i.e., not to eat excessively), for the one whose sole concern is filling their stomach has no more worth than what exits it.^{^[3]} Sayyidunā Bāyazīd Basṭāmī رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ was once asked: 'Why do you emphasise remaining hungry so much?' He replied: 'Because if Pharaoh had remained hungry, he would never have claimed divinity, and if Qārūn had remained hungry, he would not have become rebellious'.^{^[4]}

[1] Al-Quran, Hūd, verse 69; translation from Kanz al-ꜤIrfān

[2] Kashf al-Maḥjūb, translated, p. 505

[3] Kashf al-Maḥjūb, translated, p. 512

[4] Kashf al-Maḥjūb, translated, p. 513

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