Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.

ذِكْرُ الْعِلَّةِ الَّتِي مِنْ أَجْلِهَا زُجِرَ عَنْ هَذَا الْفِعْلِ

ibnhibban:584Abū Khalīfah > Musaddad b. Musarhad > ʿĪsá b. Yūnus > al-Aʿmash > Abū Ṣāliḥ > Ibn ʿUmar

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Two people should not have a private conversation excluding their companion, as it would sadden him." Abu Salih said, so I asked Ibn Umar, "What if there are four people?" He replied, "It would not harm you."  

ابن حبّان:٥٨٤أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو خَلِيفَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدُ بْنُ مُسَرْهَدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ يُونُسَ عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «لَا يَتَنَاجَى اثْنَانِ دُونَ صَاحِبِهِمَا فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ يُحْزِنُهُ» قَالَ أَبُو صَالِحٍ فَقُلْتُ لِابْنِ عُمَرَ فَأَرْبَعَةٌ؟ قَالَ لَا يَضُرُّكَ  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Dārimī
darimi:2699ʿUbaydullāh b. Mūsá > al-Aʿmash > Abū Wāʾil > ʿAbdullāh

"When you are three, two should not converse (privately) to the exclusion of their companion, because that makes him sad." (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 3775)  

الدارمي:٢٦٩٩أَخْبَرَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُوسَى عَنْ الْأَعْمَشِ عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «إِذَا كُنْتُمْ ثَلَاثَةً فَلَا يَتَنَاجَى اثْنَانِ دُونَ صَاحِبِهِمَا فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ يُحْزِنُهُ»