The people turn their faces towards the imam and listen to the remembrance (the sermon)

Ata' narrates from Abu Sa'id (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sat on the minbar and we were around him (peace and blessings be upon him). He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "What I fear for you after me is the splendour and adornment of the world that will be opened up to you." A man said: Will good bring evil? He (peace and blessings be upon him) remained silent, and it was said to the man: What is the matter with you? You speak to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), but the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) does not speak to you. And we saw that revelation was descending upon him (peace and blessings be upon him). After the revelation ended, he (peace and blessings be upon him) was wiping off the sweat. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Where is the questioner?" as if he (peace and blessings be upon him) was praising him. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Good does not bring evil. Among what the spring season grows is that which kills or nearly kills, except the animal that eats green fodder: it eats until, when its flanks are full, it faces the sun, then it urinates and passes dung, and then it starts grazing again. This wealth is green and sweet. The best wealth of a Muslim is that which he gives to the needy, the orphan and the traveller. Whoever takes it without right is like one who eats but is not satisfied, and it will be a burden upon him on the Day of Resurrection."

Sayyiduna al-Bara' bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) says that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ascended the minbar - or he said: sat on the minbar - we would sit facing him (peace and blessings be upon him).

Abu Bakr bin Khuzaymah said: In my view this report is ma'lul (defective).
Aban bin Abdullah al-Bajali (may Allah have mercy on him) says: I saw Adi bin Thabit (may Allah have mercy on him) facing the imam when he stood delivering the sermon. I said to him: I see that you turn your face towards (the imam). He said: I saw the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) doing the same. The Shaykh says: Aban bin Abdullah narrates from Adi bin Thabit (may Allah have mercy on him) that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to do the same with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).

Ma'mar narrates from al-Zuhri (may Allah have mercy on him) that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) began his sermon, they would turn their faces towards him (peace and blessings be upon him) until he (peace and blessings be upon him) finished the sermon.

Abu al-Juwayriyah (may Allah have mercy on him) says: I saw Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), the servant of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): when the imam began the sermon on Friday, he would turn his face towards the imam, and he would remain so until the imam finished his sermon.

Yahya bin Sa'id (may Allah have mercy on him) says: When the imam sits on the minbar for the sermon on Friday, all the people should have their faces towards him.

Nafi' narrates from Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he would finish his voluntary prayers before the imam came out; when the imam came, he would turn his face towards him even before he sat down.

Tha'labah bin Abi Malik al-Qurazi (may Allah have mercy on him), who met Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), says: We used to keep talking among ourselves while Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was on the minbar, until the mu'adhdhin finished his call to prayer and Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) began the sermon. When Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) began the sermon, our talk would end and we would fall silent, and then no one would speak until the imam finished the sermon.