Riyadh al-Salihin from the words of the Master of the Messengers, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
Chapter: The Etiquette of Gatherings and Companions.
On the authority of Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, who said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"None of you should make a person stand up from his place and then sit in it;
rather, make space and expand [the gathering]."
Whenever a man would stand up from his place for Ibn ‘Umar, he would not sit in it.
Agreed upon.
From the benefits of the hadith:
The prohibition of making a person stand up from his place to sit in his spot.
The Sunnah is to make space.
This is based on the saying:
﴾Make space, and Allah will make space for you.﴿
Adhering to this ritual,
makes the hearts of the people of Islam cohesive, loving, and free from discord and hatred.
Increasing affection among Muslims,
by not discriminating between them in their gatherings.
Teaching people not to stand up to seat a newcomer in a place other than where the gathering ends.
One should refine the soul by not becoming arrogant when people show respect to one.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him:
That the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"If one of you stands up from a gathering and then returns to it,
he is more entitled to it."
Narrated by Muslim.
From the benefits of the hadith:
The owner of the seat is more entitled to his seat than anyone else.
If the owner of the seat stands up for a need and then returns,
he is more deserving of his seat than others.
If someone else sits in his place,
he has the right to make the person sitting there stand up.
The person sitting should stand up from that place without delay.
Islam’s concern for giving every person with a right their due.
Curbing the desires of the soul,
so that it does not overreach and claim what it has no right to,
which would lead to corruption on earth.
On the authority of Jabir ibn Samurah, may Allah be pleased with them both, who said:
"When we would come to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
one of us would sit where the gathering ended."
Narrated by Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi.
From the benefits of the hadith:
An explanation of the etiquette of the gathering.
Which is to sit where the gathering ends for you.
It is not appropriate for a newcomer to stand at the head of the circle or the gathering,
waiting for someone to stand up for him,
as some tyrants and arrogant people do.
Etiquette is recommended in gatherings of knowledge.
It is permissible for one who finds a gap in the gathering
to step forward to fill the void, provided he does not cause harm.
If he fears doing so, then the duty incumbent upon him is to sit
where the gathering ends for him.
On the authority of Abu ‘Abd Allah Salman al-Farisi, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"No man bathes on Friday,
and purifies himself as much as he is able,
and applies his oil,
or uses the perfume of his house,
then goes out and does not separate two people [sitting together],
then prays what has been decreed for him,
then remains silent when the Imam speaks,
except that he is forgiven for what is between him and the other Friday."
Narrated by al-Bukhari.
From the benefits of the hadith:
The recommendation of being thorough in cleaning, purifying, and adorning oneself on Friday.
It is from the Sunnah for a person to keep perfume for himself,
and to make its use a habit,
by storing it in the house.
The dislike of stepping over people on Friday,
except for one who finds no other way to the prayer area.
This includes the Imam,
and one who wishes to join a broken row.
If the person in front refuses to allow that,
or one who wishes to return to the spot he stood up from due to necessity.
The legitimacy of voluntary prayer before Friday [prayer].
Based on his saying, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him:
"He prays what has been decreed for him."
The permissibility of voluntary prayer at midday on Friday.
Arriving early is not from the start of the sun's decline [zawal],
because the Imam’s exit follows the decline.
Thus, there is no time left to perform voluntary prayer.
The expiation of sins from Friday to Friday
is conditional upon the presence of all that was mentioned:
bathing and cleaning,
perfuming or oiling,
wearing the best clothes,
walking with tranquility,
and refraining from stepping over people or separating two individuals.
On the authority of ‘Amr ibn Shu‘ayb,
from his father, from his grandfather, may Allah be pleased with him:
That the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"It is not lawful for a man to separate two people [sitting together],
except with their permission."
Narrated by Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi.
In a narration by Abu Dawud:
"One should not sit between two men except with their permission."
From the benefits of the hadith:
Teaching Muslims to respect each other’s feelings,
and not to cause discomfort to others.
The impermissibility of interrupting people’s conversation without permission.
The impermissibility of listening to those speaking without their permission,
for they may be speaking of something they do not wish anyone else to know.
On the authority of Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman, may Allah be pleased with him:
That the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
cursed the one who sits in the middle of a circle.
Narrated by Abu Dawud.
Al-Tirmidhi narrated from Abu Mijlaz:
That a man sat in the middle of a circle,
and Hudhayfah said:
"Cursed is he on the tongue of Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,"
or "Allah has cursed, on the tongue of Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
the one who sits in the middle of a circle."
From the benefits of the hadith:
The prohibition of stepping over the necks of people who are sitting,
and sitting in their midst.
On the authority of Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, saying:
"The best of gatherings are the most spacious."
Narrated by Abu Dawud.
From the benefits of the hadith:
One should avoid what leads to the crowding of a gathering,
because that generates dislike and hatred among those sitting together,
or causes the gathering to lose its fruit if it is a gathering of knowledge.
The Sunnah is to make gatherings spacious.
This contains goodness, blessing, and harmony,
because it provides comfort for those sitting.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"Whoever sits in a gathering where his idle talk is frequent,
and says before he stands up from that gathering:
'Glory be to You, O Allah, and with Your praise,
I bear witness that there is no god but You,
I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You,'
he will be forgiven for what occurred in that gathering."
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi.
"His idle talk":
Meaning his speech that does not benefit him in his afterlife.
On the authority of Abu Barzah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
The Messenger of Allah would say at the end,
when he wanted to stand up from a gathering:
"Glory be to You, O Allah, and with Your praise,
I bear witness that there is no god but You,
I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You."
A man said:
"O Messenger of Allah,
you are saying a statement you did not use to say in the past."
He said:
"That is an expiation for what occurs in the gathering."
Narrated by Abu Dawud.
"At the end":
Meaning at the end of his life.
From the benefits of the hadith:
An explanation of the expiation for the gathering,
and that it is said at the end, not at the beginning.
This supplication comprises three matters:
First:
Declaring Allah Almighty free from every imperfection,
and praising Him for every action.
Second:
Affirming the divinity of Allah Almighty alone, with no partner,
and that is from the perfection of worship to Allah alone,
and the perfection of praise for Him.
Third:
Returning, seeking forgiveness, and repentance to the One who possesses them,
and He is Allah Almighty.
The fruit of this praise, seeking forgiveness, and repentance
is an expiation for the one who says it.
An explanation of the gradual nature of instruction in Islamic Shari‘ah.
The Shari‘ah did not descend all at once,
but descended gradually according to the situation.
On the authority of Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, who said:
It was rare that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, would stand up from a gathering
without praying with these supplications:
"O Allah, apportion for us such fear of You as will prevent us from disobeying You,
and such obedience to You as will bring us to Your Paradise,
and such certainty as will make the calamities of this world easy for us.
O Allah, let us enjoy our hearing, our sight,
and our strength as long as You keep us alive,
and make it the inheritor from us.
Let our vengeance be upon those who have wronged us,
and grant us victory over those who show us enmity.
Do not make our calamity in our religion,
and do not make this world our greatest concern,
nor the extent of our knowledge,
and do not empower over us those who will not show us mercy."
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi.
From the benefits of the hadith:
Perfect fear of Allah,
along with knowledge of His majesty, Glory be to Him.
Thus, Allah specifically distinguished the scholars with fear,
saying: ﴾Only those among His servants who have knowledge fear Allah.﴿
The more a person’s knowledge of Allah increases,
the more his fear of Him increases.
As it is authentically reported from the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him:
"I am the most knowledgeable of you about Allah,
and the most fearful of Him."
And He, the Almighty, said regarding His angels:
“He knoweth what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot intercede except for him whom He accepteth, and they quake for awe of Him.” (21:28)
An explanation that the one who prevents the servant from committing a sin
is Allah Almighty,
by placing from His fear
What stands between them and Him
is the granting of success to perform acts of obedience,
which can only come from Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He.
Therefore, the servant must constantly seek His aid.
Nothing leads to Paradise except obedience.
A servant cannot endure the calamities of this world
except through certainty in the heart,
which stems from sincere faith.
It is recommended to pray for the preservation and continuity of blessings,
and to enjoy them without committing acts of disobedience.
It is permissible to pray against the disbelievers,
whether specifically or generally,
and to seek victory from Allah over them.
The greatest calamity that can befall a servant
is a calamity regarding their religion.
Whoever becomes preoccupied with worldly life,
its love settles in their heart,
becoming their primary concern,
and they forget their afterlife,
dedicating all their efforts to it.
Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, tests His servants
when they turn away from His religion
by empowering their enemies against them.
The people of faith repel their enemies
through righteous deeds and supplication.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"No group of people rises from a gathering
in which they did not remember Allah the Exalted,
but that they rise as if from the carcass of a donkey,
and it will be a source of regret for them."
Narrated by Abu Dawud.
Among the benefits of this hadith:
Through the remembrance of Allah the Exalted, gatherings are made wholesome,
and hearts find tranquility.
Every moment not occupied by obedience
will have a consequence of regret and remorse
on the Day of Resurrection.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him,
from the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, who said:
"No people sit in a gathering in which they do not remember Allah the Exalted,
nor do they invoke blessings upon their Prophet,
but that it will be a deficiency for them;
if He wills, He will punish them,
and if He wills, He will forgive them."
Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him,
from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, who said:
"Whoever sits in a place where they do not remember Allah the Exalted,
it will be a deficiency for them from Allah.
And whoever lies down in a place where they do not remember Allah the Exalted,
it will be a deficiency for them from Allah."
Narrated by Abu Dawud.
"A deficiency" (tira),
meaning a shortcoming or a burden of consequence.
Among the benefits of this hadith:
The obligation of remembering Allah the Exalted and invoking blessings upon His Messenger, peace be upon him.
Because whoever neglects this incurs a burden of consequence.
Everyone who sits in a gathering and is heedless of the remembrance of Allah
becomes deserving of punishment from Allah.
This is because those who forget the remembrance of Allah and the invocation of blessings upon His Messenger, peace be upon him,
are more likely to forget to observe the limits set by Allah the Exalted,
thus falling into the forbidden and what incurs the wrath of Allah,
and they are punished for what they have committed.
Riyad al-Salihin.