10 Ways to Protect the Home
① Supplications When Entering the Home:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَ الْمَوْلِجِ وَخَيْرَ الْمَخْرَجِ، بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَلَجْنَا، وَبِسْمِ اللَّهِ خَرَجْنَا، وَعَلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّنَا تَوَكَّلْنَا
O Allah! I ask You for the good of entering the house and the good of leaving it. We enter the house in the name of Allah and leave in the name of Allah, and we place our trust in our Lord.
Then greet the family members.
② Supplications for Eating and Drinking:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
When a person enters his house and says BISMILLAH before starting to eat, the devil says: Today, there will be no place to spend the night in this house, nor will there be dinner.
And if he does not mention the name of Allah at the time of eating, the devil says to the other devils: You have found a place to spend the night and dinner.
③ Frequent Recitation of the Quran in the House:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
اقرؤوا سورة البقرة فى بيوتكم، فإن الشيطان لا يدخل بيتا يقرء فيه سورة البقرة
Recite Surah Al-Baqarah in your homes, indeed, the devil does not enter the house in which Surah Al-Baqarah is recited.
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: Indeed, the devil does not enter the house in which Surah Al-Baqarah is recited.
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: Do not make your homes like graveyards; indeed, the devil flees from the house in which Surah Al-Baqarah is recited.
④ Keeping the House Free from Bells:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
Angels do not enter a house in which bells are rung.
[Meaning the bells tied around the necks of animals
⑤ Keeping homes free from the sign of the cross:
Hazrat Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said:
Whenever the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, found anything in his house that had the image of the cross (as the Christians have), he would break it.
⑥ Keeping homes free from idols and pictures:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
Angels do not enter a house in which there are idols or pictures.
Allama Ibn Baz, may Allah have mercy on him, said: A picture that is being trampled underfoot or is being disrespected, such as a mat, etc., there is no harm in that. Majmoo’ al-Fatawa [373/25]
⑦ Keeping homes free from dogs:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
Angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a picture.
Allama Ibn Baz, may Allah have mercy on him, says: A picture that is being trampled underfoot or is being disrespected, such as a mat, etc., then there is no harm in that.
An exception is made for dogs kept for hunting and guarding, but the condition is that its color should not be black. Because the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: The black dog is a devil.
Not only this, but the Prophet, peace be upon him, ordered that the black dog be killed.
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: Kill the black, speckled, striped, and two-spotted dog, for indeed it is a devil.
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: Whoever keeps a dog for hunting or guarding, two Qirat of his reward are deducted daily.
⑧ Closing the doors at night, and stopping children from playing in the early evening:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
When the night begins (or when it is evening), restrain your children (and do not let them go outside) because at that time the devils spread out. Then, when one hour of the night has passed, let them go and recite بِسْمِ اللَّهِ and close the doors; because the devil does not open closed doors.
And, in the name of Allah, seal the mouths of your water skins. In the name of Allah, cover your utensils, even if you can only cover them with something broad, and extinguish your lamps before sleeping.
The remaining words of the hadith are: “And in the name of Allah, seal the mouths of your water skins. In the name of Allah, cover your utensils, even if you can only cover them with something broad, and extinguish your lamps (before sleeping).”
And in another narration, it is mentioned that at evening time, keep your children inside the houses. Indeed, this is the time when jinn spread and cause harm.
⑨ Keeping homes free from singing and music:
Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, says:
وَاسْتَفْزِزْ مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ مِنْهُمْ بِصَوْتِكَ
“And whoever is led astray by his voice, then indeed, you will find no protector against Our punishment.”
Imam Mujahid, may Allah have mercy on him, said: The voice of Satan is singing.
Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, said: Without doubt, the thing that most strengthens satanic conditions is listening to songs and amusement.
Imam Ibn Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, said: Songs with forbidden instruments cause the heart to be prevented from the Quran, and because of them, the heart remains engaged in disobedience to Allah and sinful deeds. Songs are the Quran of Satan and a thick veil in attaining Allah’s mercy.
⑩ Sprinkling salt in the corners of the house:
Sheikh Muhtaram Janab Abdul Aziz bin Baz, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
Sprinkling salt in the corners of the house to drive away jinn, if it is proven by experience, then there is no harm in doing so. Some people who do this have told me that they have tried it and found it beneficial.
Sheikh Muhtaram Janab Allama Abdullah bin Jibreen, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
There is no harm in putting salt in water, and then when it dissolves, sprinkling it in the corners inside and outside the house. This has been tried and found beneficial for protecting homes and driving away rebellious jinn and avoiding their harm.
All these matters fall under the category of permissible means for treatment.
