The Shaykh’s reminder of a great etiquette of Islam, namely the etiquette of gathering in the assemblies of knowledge and admonition, and his argumentation with the explicit hadith of Abu Thalhah al-Khushani

The Shaykh : It seems that it is necessary, from time to time, to remind people of some of the sunnahs and Islamic etiquettes that have become unknown in knowledge and abandoned in practice. We have mentioned on more than one occasion, on such an occasion and for such a gathering, that the assemblies of knowledge have etiquettes. Among these is that it is not permissible to disperse in the assemblies of knowledge. We should not sit in whatever way happens or whatever pleases one of us, for this is in no way part of the etiquette of knowledge. Those are the gatherings of cafes and clubs; whoever comes to those gatherings, whether for recreation as they claim, or for amusement, or the like, is free to sit wherever he wishes and however he wishes. But the assembly of knowledge has its etiquettes. I have mentioned to you more than once the hadith of Abu Thalhah al-Khushani (may Allah be pleased with him), in which he says that when they used to travel with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and they would stop at a place, they would disperse in the valleys and gorges. One day they traveled and stopped in a valley and dispersed as they had done before. This dispersal is suggested by self-interest and personal preference, where each person chooses the suitable place for himself, such as one with a broad shade. So they dispersed as was their custom. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) saw them, he said to them: Abu Thalhah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “So after that, when we would stop at a place, we would gather in it, until if we sat on a single carpet, it would have been enough for us.” The assemblies most deserving of maintaining such an etiquette of gathering are the assemblies of knowledge. I do not wish to prolong this, because the time I allocated for this lesson, which I resumed after a long period of interruption out of necessity, is only half an hour for the study of *al-Targhib*. Therefore, I do not wish to lengthen my explanation of the secret and wisdom of this gathering which this authentic hadith suggests to us, but I will summarize my statement and say...