What is the authenticity of the hadith: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade forming circles before the prayer on Friday”?

The questioner: O Shaykh, the hadith: “The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade forming circles before the prayer, or before the Friday prayer,” does this mean the hadith is authentic?

The Shaykh: What is this authentic one?

The questioner: “The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade forming circles before the Friday prayer.”

The Shaykh: Ah, forming circles, yes. This hadith, in terms of hadith terminology, is hasan (good). This is because it is narrated by 'Umar ibn Shu'ayb from his father from his grandfather, and that is a proof. First, and second: even if a hadith like this did not exist at all, it is an innovation. It was not in the time of the Messenger (peace be upon him), nor in the time of the righteous Salaf. Rather, it contradicts the etiquette of those who come to the mosque on Friday. You know the hadiths that encourage the Muslim, such as his saying (peace be upon him): , or as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said. Yes?

The questioner: Is it in it, and he walked?

The Shaykh : Huh?

The questioner: Is it in it: and he walked to the mosque?

The Shaykh: And he walked?

The questioner: And he walked to the mosque?

The Shaykh: There are many hadiths. The point is the etiquette of the one entering the mosque. I forgot the wording that suits us: to the end of the hadith. So, establishing these circles on Friday contradicts this etiquette that the righteous Salaf followed, whether by their origin or by their practice of such hadiths. We know that 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud and 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar, when they entered the mosque on the day of Jumu'ah, they would pray and lengthen the prayer. It is even narrated from Ibn Mas'ud that he would pray eight rak'ahs. Yes, this is an application of his saying (peace be upon him): . This means that the one entering the mosque on Friday does not have a regular sunnah (recommended practice) of two or four rak'ahs, but rather he prays what Allah has written for him. So if the circle is established and the teacher is teaching, how can these people entering the mosque at least pray the greeting of the mosque? How about the one who wants to pray voluntary prayer, like what we mentioned about Ibn Mas'ud and Ibn 'Umar? The hadith is thus hasan in its chain and correct in its meaning, because this forming of circles spoils the methodology that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) established for those coming to the mosque on Friday.