Hadith 342M

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى ، حَدَّثَنَا سَلْمُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْوَرَّاقُ ، حَدَّثَنَا عِكْرِمَةُ ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِير ، عَنْ عِيَاضِ بْنِ هِلَالٍ ، قَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى : وَهُوَ الصَّوَابُ .
‘This chain also narrates this hadith; in it, instead of Hilal bin Iyad, it is Iyad bin Hilal. Muhammad bin Yahya says: This is correct.’
Hadith Reference سنن ابن ماجه / كتاب الطهارة وسننها / 342M
Hadith Grading الألبانی: ضعيف
Hadith Takhrij t
• • •
A similar hadith is narrated through this chain as well, but in this chain is Iyad bin Abdullah.
Hadith Reference سنن ابن ماجه / كتاب الطهارة وسننها / 342M
Hadith Grading الألبانی: ضعيف
Hadith Takhrij t
• • •
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
Benefits and Issues
Although this narration is weak in its chain of transmission, the prohibition of exposing one’s private parts in front of each other and engaging in conversation while relieving oneself is established from other authentic narrations. For example, there is the hadith: “A man should not look at the private part of another man, nor should a woman look at the private part of another woman.” [صحيح مسلم، الحيض، حديث : 338] In another hadith, it is stated: “A man passed by the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) while he was urinating, and he greeted him with salam, but the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not reply to his salam.” [صحيح مسلم، الحيض، حديث : 370] Although replying to salam is obligatory, even then the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not reply. From this, it is understood that when replying to salam is not preferred, then how can engaging in other conversations be permissible? Perhaps for this very reason, some scholars have declared the hadith under discussion from Abu Dawud to be “hasan li ghayrihi” (sound due to supporting evidence). See: [الموسوعة الحديثية، مسند الامام احمد، ج : 17، حديث : 11310۔ صحيح الترغيب، 1۔ 175]
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 15
Maulana Ataullah Sajid
Commentary:
(1)
There is weakness in the chain of narration of this hadith; however, this same hadith is also narrated through other chains from Abdullah ibn Umar radi Allahu anhu and Jabir radi Allahu anhu. See: (Sahih al-Jami' al-Saghir, Hadith: 6013)

(2)
When a person uncovers his private parts at the time of relieving himself, he should refrain from conversation.
This is contrary to modesty and shame.
For this reason, Allah Ta'ala becomes displeased.

(3)
Conversation is also prohibited because, while talking, they would have to sit close to each other, due to which proper covering (of the private parts) would not be maintained, and one would end up looking at the concealed parts of the other. Looking at someone’s private parts or exposing one’s own private parts to someone is a sin.
Source: Commentary on Sunan Ibn Mājah by Mawlānā ‘Atā’ullāh Sājid, Page: 342
Shaykh Muhammad Farooq Rafi
Benefits:

This hadith is evidence that for two or more individuals to sit together while relieving themselves, such that their private parts are exposed and they converse with each other during defecation, is forbidden and a cause of Allah’s displeasure. Therefore, one must avoid this reprehensible act. Especially among rural women, this practice is widespread; thus, it is necessary to rectify this behavior.
Source: Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah: Commentary by Muhammad Farooq Rafee, Page: 71
Shaykh Safi ur-Rahman Mubarakpuri
Lexical Explanation:
«تَغَوَّطَ» To go out for relieving oneself and to fulfill one's need.
«فَلْیَتَوَارَ» In this, the "lam" is for command and the "ra" has a fatha. The meaning is that one should conceal oneself, should be in privacy.
«وَلَا یَتَحَدَّثَا» At the time of relieving oneself, both should not converse.
«یمقت» Derived from «مقت», it refers to severe displeasure.
«علی ذلک» Its demonstrative pronoun refers to all the aforementioned things, i.e., the absence of a barrier between the two and conversing at the time of relieving oneself is intended.
«وَھُوَ مَعْلُوْلٌ» It has been said that the reason ('illah) in this hadith is that it has been narrated by Ikrimah ibn Ammar from Yahya ibn Abi Kathir. Ikrimah is alone in this narration, and there is discussion regarding his narration from Yahya; however, Imam Muslim and Imam Bukhari rahimahumullah have mentioned Yahya's narration as supporting evidence.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ Allamah Ibn Hajar Asqalani rahimahullah has declared this hadith to be defective due to Ikrimah ibn Ammar narrating from Yahya ibn Abi Kathir. However, from other authentic ahadith it is known that it is obligatory to conceal the private parts that must be covered, and also that conversing with one another at the time of relieving oneself, i.e., urination and defecation, is forbidden. Therefore, for such an act, a warning has been given in the form of Allah Ta'ala's displeasure and intense hatred.
➋ If, according to some, this act were merely disliked (makruh), then there would not have been a need for such a severe warning. In such situations, it is also established in practice that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would refrain from replying to greetings, which supports this.
Source: Bulugh al-Maram: Commentary by Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, Page: 82