Tenth: It was fat, not lean. Clearly, such an animal was among their finest possessions, ordinarily kept for rearing and breeding. Yet he gave his guests preference over himself by serving it to them.

[Surah al-Dhāriyāt (51): verse 27]
“He placed it before them and said, ‘Will you not eat?’” (27)

Eleventh: He brought it near them himself, rather than ordering his servant to do so.

Twelfth: He brought it near them, rather than bringing them over to it. It is more hospitable to seat your guest and then bring the food right before him, rather than setting it down elsewhere and asking your guest to come over to it.

Thirteenth: He said, “Will you not eat?” This is a gracious invitation, more courteous than saying, “Eat,” “Help yourselves,” or the like. People recognize its goodness and courtesy through their own reason. Thus they say, “In the name of Allah,” “Would you not be charitable?” or “Would you not do us a kindness?” and similar expressions.

Fourteenth: He only invited them to eat because he saw that they were not eating. His guests did not need his permission to eat; whenever he served them food, they would eat. When these guests refrained from eating, however, he said to them, “Will you not eat?” This was why he felt apprehensive of them: he sensed fear and concealed it within himself without revealing it to them. This brings us to:

The fifteenth point: When they refrained from eating his food, he became afraid of them, but did not show them his fear. When the angels perceived this, they said, “Do not fear,” and gave him glad tidings of a forbearing son.

This verse thus brings together the etiquette of hospitality, among the noblest forms of conduct. The elaborate formalities beyond these—which amount to backwardness and affectation—are merely human conventions and customs. These manners are distinction and honor enough. May Allah bless our Prophet and Abraham, their families, and all the other prophets.