Why he stopped a hand reaching for the middle
He took hold of the top of the dish himself.
كُلُوا بِسْمِ اللَّهِ مِنْ حَوَالَيْهَا وَاعْفُوا رَأْسَهَا فَإِنَّ الْبَرَكَةَ تَأْتِيهَا مِنْ فَوْقِهَا
Kulū bismi-Llāhi min ḥawālayhā wa-ʿfū raʾsahā, fa-inna-l-barakata taʾtīhā min fawqihā
Eat in the name of Allah from around it and leave its top alone, for the blessing comes down onto it from above.
Where this comes from
A shared dish, and everyone reaching for the best part in the centre. He gave a reason that is not about manners. The blessing is described as arriving from above and landing there, so taking it first is taking it before it has come.
The full narration
It was narrated that Wathilah bin Asqa’ Al-Laithi said:“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) took hold of the top of the Tharid and said: ‘Eat in the Name of Allah from its sides and leave the top, for the blessing comes from its top.’”
Source
Sunan Ibn Mājah · 3276
- Al-Albani: Sahih
- Muhammad Fouad Abd al-Baqi: Sahih
- Zubair Ali Zai: Hasan