Sharh needed on Hadith about social status

[Sunni_Student786]

As salaamu alaykum.

I am having a bit of trouble understanding the following hadith that I have seen in both "Kemiya e Sa'aadat" (i.e. Alchemy of Happiness) of Imam Ghazali (ra) and in Shaykh Abdul Fattah Abu Ghuddah's book on Islamic Manners.

"Abu Dawood and Al Hakim reported as an authentic Hadith that Mamun bin Abi Shabib recounted that a beggar stopped the Prophet's (peace be upon him) wife Aisha (ra), and she gave him a piece of dry bread. At another time, a properly dressed, well-groomed man asked her for food. She let him sit and offered him a meal. When asked about that, she replied that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Treat people according to their status'."

In this hadith, what is meant by "status"? As far as I can tell by reading this hadith, the only difference that I can tell between the two men is that one was well-dressed, while the other wasn't. The only reason for this that I could think of is that one was wealth, while the other wasn't, as evidenced by their clothing. So is this to say that one's status is directly proportional to one's wealth and that, as such, a person should give wealthy people more respect than others? I have a hard time believing that this could be the case, which is why I am asking for an explanation from the Ulema about the meaning of this hadith and what can be derived from it.

If such is not the case, then what is meant by "status" in this hadith? And how could we know if this person possessed any other such status, save for wealth, from this hadith, because the only thing that we know about him is that he had on better clothes than the first beggar.

I am really confused by this hadith and am all but 100% sure that the Prophet's (peace be upon him) command in this hadith is not to respect people in a manner that is proportional to their wealth, so if someone could shed light on the above (perhaps some of my brothers who are scholars on this forum), or make reference to Ulema's statements that could do so, I would really appreciate it.

Jazakallahu Khair.

Wa'salaam.

[godilali]

The context shows it has nothing to do with respect. "Status" seems to mean what a person is used to. For example, the beggar is used to eating dry bread and will be content with that, so he is given a piece of dry bread. Likewise, a wealthy person is used to more food in order to be content, so he is given more. Both men are equally satisfied with what they receive, since they are both given what is the average meal for them. This is indeed quite logical. For example, if one gives an F-16 to a Wright brother, he will have no idea how to operate. Likewise, if one gives a biplane to an airforce pilot, he will find it slow and faulty. In the same way, a beggar would have no idea how to behave if he sat down with a noble for a meal, and a wealthy man would hardly be content with a piece of dry bread.

This is what seemed apparent from reading the hadith, but I am not an alim, so perhaps one of the more knowledgable brothers can clarify.

[ahsanirfan]

Simply put, this hadith implies that one should not "degrade" the person one is dealing with. If someone gives a rich man a piece of bread, he will be disgusted and may harbour ill feeling towards you. If you give a beggar a four course meal, he may harbour envy towards you. To the beggar it may look as you are "showing off" and hence "degrading" him.

Wallahu Ta'ala 'Alam

[Sunni_Student786]

Jazakallahu Khair for hte responses.

I think that my question(s) have been answered.

In the event that there may have been any mistake in the explanations of my brothers, if they Ulema could chime in, that would be great.

Regardless, Jazakallahu khair once more for the explanations.