Listening During the Sermon

The brother A. A. S. from Riad al-Khobar asks and says: When does a person become prohibited from touching pebbles and using the miswak during the Friday prayer? Is it from when the imam ascends the pulpit or from the beginning of the sermon? Because I see many people who do not stop using the miswak until the imam begins the sermon, and some of them use it during the sermon?
We ask the Shaykh to guide us to the correct ruling. May Allah reward you with good.

A: It is a recommended practice (sunnah) to listen to the sermon and to refrain from using the miswak and all other idle behavior from the time it begins until it is finished, in accordance with the authentic hadiths reported on this matter.
However, if a person enters the mosque while the imam is delivering the sermon, he should pray the greeting of the mosque before sitting down, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): .