What should One say to the Host if an Invited Person is Accompanied by an Uninvited Person

باب ما يقوله من دعي إلى طعام فتبعه غيره

This short chapter handles a small but real awkwardness, when you are invited somewhere and a friend tags along uninvited. The food was prepared for a set number of guests, so the host has a genuine right to decide, and the guest who came along has no claim on hospitality he was never offered. The Arabic word for the invitation here is da'wah, the call to a meal, and the etiquette protects everyone's dignity at once.

Notice how the Prophet (peace be upon him) refuses to spring the extra person on the host or to embarrass the man who followed. He names the situation openly and hands the choice back to the one who paid for the meal. Honesty and gentleness sit side by side.

Hadith 738

Abu Mas'ud Al-Badri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

عن أبى مسعود البدرى رضى الله عنه قال‏:‏ دعا رجل النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم لطعام صنعه له خامس خمسة، فتبعهم رجل، فلما بلغ الباب، قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ ‏ "‏إن هذا تبعنا؛ فإن شئت أن تأذن له، وإن شئت رجع‏" ‏ قال‏:‏ بل آذن له يا رسول الله ‏.‏((متفق عليه))

A man prepared some food especially for the Prophet (ﷺ) and invited him along with four others. But a man accompanied him. Having arrived at the door, Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to the host, "This person has followed us. You may allow him, if you like, and if you like he will return." He said: "O Messenger of Allah, I allow him, too." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

In plain words

When an uninvited guest followed him, the Prophet told the host plainly and left the choice in his hands, since the meal was prepared for a set number. Honesty paired with care for everyone's dignity.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 738 In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 12