1253 – Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “No man should make another man rise from his seat and then sit in it himself. Rather, make room and widen the circle.” Agreed upon (1).

Glossary of the ḥadith
• tafassaḥū: from fasaḥa lahu fī al-majlis – yafsaḥu – fasaḥan; to enlarge and clear a space so it can accommodate someone.
• tawassaʿū: from wasiʿa – yasiʿu – saʿatan; “the people widened their gathering,” that is, they made room for one another.

Points gleaned from the ḥadith

1. Two etiquettes of gatherings are set forth:
   First: It is not lawful for a person to remove someone who took a seat before him and then occupy it himself. Whoever arrives first at something permissible has the stronger claim to it. “Whoever reaches something before anyone else has reached it is the one who most deserves it,” whether the person displaced is distinguished or otherwise; precedence gives the right, be it in a mosque, a meeting, a reception, or elsewhere.
   Second: Those already present are obligated to make space for a newcomer until he finds a place among them. The Exalted says, “O you who believe, when you are told, ‘Make room in gatherings,’ then make room; Allah will make room for you” (al-Mujādilah 11).

Al-Qurṭubī remarked: Allah commanded the Muslims to show mutual kindness and harmony so that they would make room for one another, allowing everyone to listen to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and to see him.