Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi, who graded it ḥasan. In another wording recorded by Abu Dawud: “He should not sit between two men unless they give him permission.”

830 – Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamān (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ cursed the one who sits in the middle of a circle. Related by Abu Dawud with a good chain. Al-Tirmidhi also narrated from Abū Majliz that a man once sat in the middle of a circle, whereupon Hudhayfah said, “Accursed, by the tongue of Muhammad ﷺ—or: May Allah curse, by the tongue of Muhammad ﷺ—the one who sits in the middle of a circle.” Al-Tirmidhi said: a ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ ḥadīth.

831 – Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, “The best gatherings are those with the widest space.” Reported by Abu Dawud with a sound chain that meets al-Bukhārī’s criteria.

832 – Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever sits in a gathering in which there is much idle talk, and then, before rising from that gathering, says…"