Chapter: The Recommendation that the One Who Serves a Group Be the Last to Drink

773 – Abu Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “The server of a group is the last of them to drink.” Recorded by al-Tirmidhi, who declared it an acceptable, sound ḥadīth.

[Explanation]
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) says in “The Etiquette of Eating”: “Chapter on the recommendation that the one who serves a group be the last to drink.” In other words, the person who distributes the drinks—whether water, milk, coffee, or tea—should be the last to drink so that he prefers others to himself and so that any shortage, should it occur, falls upon him alone. Without doubt, this is the best practice, complying with the Prophet’s instruction and adopting his etiquette.

However, if the server has no desire to drink, he is not obliged to do so after the others; he may drink if he wishes, and he may refrain if he wishes. What matters is that, should he drink, he be the last, because in that lies self-sacrifice and obedience to the Prophet’s command. This also indicates that a person should serve his brothers by offering them drink; and if he is the host, he should bring the food forward, pass around the drink, and place himself last among the guests.