We were sitting in the courtyards talking when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came upon us, stood over us, and said, "What is it with you and these gatherings in the pathways? Avoid sitting in the pathways."We replied, "We only sat down for no harmful purpose. We sat to remember and converse with one another."He said, "If you must, then fulfill its rights, lowering the gaze, returning the greeting, and speaking kindly."
كنا قعودا بالأفنية نتحدث، فجاء رسول الله ﷺ، فقام علينا فقال: ما لكم ولمجالس الصعدات اجتنبوا مجالس الصعدات، فقلنا إنما قعدنا لغير ما بأس قعدنا نتذاكر ونتحدث، قال: إما لا، فأدوا حقها غض البصر، ورد السلام وحسن الكلام.
Muslim reported it in the Book of Greetings (2161), from Abu Bakr bin Abu Shayba, who said, Affan told us, Abdul-Wahid bin Ziyad told us, Uthman bin Hakeem told us, from Ishaq bin Abdullah bin Abu Talha, from his father, who said, Abu Talha said, and then he mentioned it.