Guest House In the Abbasid era (132-656 AH / 749-1258 AD)

Abstract

Generosity and hospitality are inherent characteristic of Arabs Heritage books are full of stories that reflect these traits. Islam came to recognize this value in the lives of Muslims and with the beginnings of the formation of the Islamic state in Medina And the increase of delegations coming to prophet after the year of the conquest, so the Prophet، may God’s prayers and peace be upon him، took the house of Ramla bint Al-Harith as a house for the guests. The Rightly Guided Caliphs followed the path of the Prophe, may God bless him and grant him peace، in providing official hospitality to delegations. They also created houses for hospitality and care for the poor and strangers، and this is what Omar Ibn Al-Khattab and Othman Bin-Afghan did. It was continued - despite the lack of reference- in the Umayyad era and most of the Abbasid era. In the middle of the sixth century AH، the twelfth century AD، the name of guest houses reappeared again، especially during the era of Caliph Al-Nasir Li-Din Allah Abbasid (died 622 AH / 1255 AD) and the caliphs who came after him until the end of the Abbasid state. As guest houses became legalized and organized، some of them were designated for eftar Ramadan for the poor. Others are designated for the pilgrims arriving in Baghdad during the pilgrimage season. And the Caliph Al-Nasir Li-Din Allah created a diwan known as the “dywān ālṭbq” whose responsibility is to provide financial resources through the endowments allocated for this purpose. As well as administrative and organizational supervision of these houses.