Mishkat al-Masabih
Mishkat al-Masabih 3223
The Wedding-feast - Section 2
Arabic hadith text
وَعَنْ رَجُلٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «إِذَا اجْتَمَعَ الدَّاعِيَانِ فَأَجِبْ أَقْرَبَهُمَا بَابًا وَإِنْ سَبَقَ أَحَدُهُمَا فَأَجِبِ الَّذِي سَبَقَ» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ
Translation
A companion of God’s Messenger reported him as saying, “When two people come together to issue an invitation accept that of the one who lives nearer you, but if one of them comes before the other accept the invitation of the one who comes first.” Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it.