Muslim man invited to dine with an old lady
24-2-2004 | IslamWeb
Question:
I live in London. I’m a religious Muslim. A few months ago I met an old lady (62 year old and she is Hindu) in a shop here. She came to the hospital (where I work as a doctor) to have an operation. So I went to visit her just as our Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) did when his Jewish neighbour got sick and he visited him. So I wanted to get Hasanat from visiting this lady who is living alone. In response to my visit she asked me to come to her house for a meal. However, I’m afraid to go as this might be Haram. Please give me your religion opinion.
Answer:
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
Yes, it is permissible for you to accept the invitation of that lady, especially if you expect that she might become a Muslim.
But you have to adhere to the Islamic etiquettes, to lower your gaze, and avoid being in seclusion with her, and on the condition that the table is free of Haram things like alcohol and so on. You have to seize the opportunity to call her to Islam. She might think about it and submit herself to Allah, the Lord of the Alamin (Mankind and Jinn and whatever exists).
Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allâh (believes in His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allâh's (Islâmic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims."}[41:33].
Bukhari reported that Anas (Radiya Allahu Anhu) said: “There was a young Jewish boy who used to work as a servant of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam). The boy became ill; then the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) went to visit him. He sat near his head and told him: ‘Become a Muslim’. He looked to his father who was with him, and his father told him: ‘Obey Abul Qassim (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam)’. Then the boy became Muslim. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) then came out saying: “Praise be to Allah, who saved him from the Hellfire”.
Allah knows best.