Question:

I have a routine of reading specific awrad after my sunnahs. I have made a specific place at my house for this. I am perplexed if a guest comes on my door, do I entertain the guest or do I excuse myself and engage in my awrad?

Answer:

Bismillahi Ta'ala

Assalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabrakatuh,

It is a great bounty of Allah that He has instilled consistancy in your ibadaat. May Allah increase in your devotion, Ameen.

If this guest visits you on a regular basis then it is better for you to excuse yourself and engage in your stipulated nawafil / awrad. 

However, if the guest does not visit you often, rather it is a rare occasion, then it is better for you to disengage from your nawafil or awrad and entertain the guest instead. This is because the guest has a right over you to be entertained. In such a case you would have let go of a nafil (superagatory) act to fulfil a wajib act, and inshAllah you will be attain the rewards of wajib, along with blessings of your regular ma'mool (routine) of nawafil as well from the sheer mercy of Allah Ta'ala.

And Allah Ta'ala Knows best,

Wassalamu `alaykum, 
 
Mufti Faisal al-Mahmudi

(مسألة : نزل به ضيف و له ورد من صلاة النافلة ، فإن كان ينزل به كثيراً فالاشتغال بالورد أفضل ، و إلا فالاشتغال بالضيف أفضل) … انما كان الاشتغال بالضيف أفضل لان له حقاً على المضيف حيث كان ينزل به قليلا (نهائة المراد فى شرح هدية ابن العماد ص 736)