Answer
Wa `alaykum as-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
1- It is not Islamic for the husband or wife to burden themselves with guests while he/she is ill, as ill people are exempted from many religious duties.
2- However, a Muslim is highly required to be generous and hospitable.
In response to the question you raised, the European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR) issued the following fatwa:
The four main Fiqh Schools (madhahib) state that the Muslim wife is under no obligation to serve her husband himself, unless she does so as a charity from her good self.
Indeed, if a man complained to a Shari`ah court, which follows any of these schools, that his wife did not serve him; he will find that the court will not force the woman to do so. Therefore, if this is the case with the husband, then it is more so regarding his guests.
The opinion which we find to be appropriate is that the wife is obliged to work in her home caring for her husband and children, thus fulfilling the conditions of good companionship ordered by Allah Almighty and achieving the equality of rights and responsibilities for and upon each party decreed by Him Almighty, as stated in the Qur’an,
“And they (women) have rights similar to those (of their husbands) over them, to what is reasonable, but men have a degree over them” (Al-Baqarah 2:228)
A man is obliged to work hard outside his house to provide for his family and a woman must work inside the house to care for the family. Fatimah Al-Zahra’, the daughter of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to care for her household and sweep, work and make food, etc. She once complained to her father (peace and blessings be upon him) that she was working very hard. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered her and her husband to compliment their work with the remembrance of Allah Almighty in the form of glorifying and praising Him so that they may be assisted in the duties of life.
If, however, the woman works outside the house, it is only fair that her husband helps her to fulfill her duties, particularly if they had children who need much care.
Therefore, it is wrong for a man to over-burden his wife with guests, especially during her time of illness. Indeed Islam regarded illness as an excuse for many exemptions, such as from making jihad at times when it is obligatory.
Allah Almighty stated, “No blame or sin is there upon the blind, nor is there blame or sin upon the lame, nor is there blame nor sin upon the sick (that they go not forth to war).” (Al-Fath 48:17)
The ill persons are excused from fasting the month of Ramadan and are required to compensate the missed days when they are well and able to do so. Allah Almighty stated, “…and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number from other days. Allah intends for you ease and He does not want to make things difficult for you…” (Al-Baqarah 2:185)
Islam also permitted for the sick person to pray in any possible way, whether that be standing up or sitting down or even lying down, and Imams (leaders in prayers) were asked to make the prayers easy because here may weak, sick or a person in need behind them.
An Eastern or Arabic Muslim, who is married to a Western woman, should take into consideration that she may not be used to receiving guests as the case in the East.
A Western woman who has embraced Islam should also consider the position of her husband and the way in which he was brought up. She must also appreciate that Islam holds in great regards a person who is hospitable to his or her guests, as the Prophet Mohammed (peace and blessing be upon him) stated, “He who believes in Allah and the Final Day should honour his guest.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Allah Almighty knows best.