Surah An-Noor (24) — Ayah 27

(Ayah 27) ➊ { يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا لَا تَدْخُلُوْا بُيُوْتًا …:} From the beginning of the surah, the limits and condemnation of adultery and slander are being mentioned; now the mention of those rulings begins which prevent such mingling of men and women that leads to adultery and slander. These rulings include etiquettes such as seeking permission to enter homes, guarding the gaze, observing hijab, emphasizing marriage, and prohibiting prostitution.

➋ { غَيْرَ بُيُوْتِكُمْ :} That is, permission is not required to enter your own homes, where a person lives alone or with his wife. Although it is better that even before entering there, one should somehow inform the household of his arrival, as they might be in a state in which the husband would not like to see them. Thus, Abdullah bin Mas'ud's wife Zainab narrates: [ كَانَ عَبْدُ اللّٰهِ إِذَا جَاءَ مِنْ حَاجَةٍ فَانْتَهٰی إِلَی الْبَابِ تَنَحْنَحَ وَ بَزَقَ كَرَاهَةَ أَنْ يَّهْجُمَ مِنَّا عَلٰی أَمْرٍ يَكْرَهُهُ ] [ ابن جریر : ۲۶۱۳۱ ] "When Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) would return home after finishing some work, he would cough and spit at the door so that his eyes would not fall upon anything of ours that he disliked." Ibn Kathir has declared its chain Sahih. Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ إِذَا أَطَالَ أَحَدُكُمُ الْغَيْبَةَ فَلَا يَطْرُقْ أَهْلَهُ لَيْلًا ] [ بخاري، النکاح، باب لا یطرق أھلہ… : ۵۲۴۴ ] "When any of you has been away from home for a long time, he should not come to his family at night." In Muslim, these additional words are found: [ نَهٰی رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ سَلَّمَ أَنْ يَّطْرُقَ الرَّجُلُ أَهْلَهُ لَيْلًا يَتَخَوَّنُهُمْ أَوْ يَلْتَمِسُ عَثَرَاتِهِمْ ] [ مسلم، الإمارۃ، باب کراھیۃ الطروق… : 715/184، قبل ح : ۱۹۲۹ ] "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade (the one who has been away from home for a long time) from coming to his family at night suddenly to search for their betrayal or their mistake."

➌ The literal translation of {’’ حَتّٰى تَسْتَاْنِسُوْا ‘‘} is "until you become familiar." Therefore, it includes not only the meaning of seeking permission, but also the meaning that you should find out whether there is anyone in the house or not, and if there is, whether your coming is unpleasant to them or not.

➍ The method of seeking permission: A man from Banu Amir came and sought permission to enter upon the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), saying, "May I come in?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to his servant, "Go to him and teach him the way to seek permission, that he should say: [ اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَ أَدْخُلُ؟ ] 'Peace be upon you, may I come in?'" The man heard this and said: [اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَ أَدْخُلُ؟] So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) gave him permission and he entered." [ أبوداوٗد، الأدب، باب کیف الاستئذان ؟ : ۵۱۷۷ ]

Kaladah bin Hanbal (may Allah be pleased with him) says: "I went to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and went straight in to him; I neither greeted nor sought permission, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ اِرْجِعْ فَقُلْ اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ ] [ أبوداوٗد، الأدب، باب کیف الاستئذان؟ : ۵۱۷۶، صححہ الألباني ] 'Go back and say: Peace be upon you.'"

➎ Permission should be sought at most three times; if permission is not granted, one should return. [ دیکھیے بخاري، الاستئذان، باب التسلیم و الاستئذان ثلاثا : ۶۲۴۵، عن أبي موسٰی رضی اللہ عنہ ]

➏ If, upon knocking or greeting, the household asks, "Who is it?" one should state one's name. Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) says that I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding a debt that was upon my father; I knocked at the door, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: [ مَنْ ذَا؟ فَقُلْتُ أَنَا، فَقَالَ أَنَا أَنَا ] "Who is it?" I said, "It is I." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "I, I," as if he disliked it. [ بخاري، الاستئذان، باب إذا قال من ذا؟ فقال أنا : ۶۲۵۰ ]

➐ Huzail (may Allah be pleased with him) says, a man came and stood in front of the door of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and began to seek permission, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ هٰكَذَا عَنْكَ أَوْ هٰكَذَا، فَإِنَّمَا الْاِسْتِئْذَانُ مِنَ النَّظَرِ ] [ أبوداوٗد، الأدب، باب کیف الاستئذان ؟ : ۵۱۷۴، صححہ الألباني ] "Move to this side or that side, for permission is sought because of looking."

➑ Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ لَوِ اطَّلَعَ فِيْ بَيْتِكَ أَحَدٌ وَ لَمْ تَأْذَنْ لَهُ خَذَفْتَهُ بِحَصَاةٍ فَفَقَأْتَ عَيْنَهُ مَا كَانَ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ جُنَاحٍ ] [ بخاري، الدیات، باب من أخذ حقہ… : ۶۸۸۸ ] "If a man peeps into your house without your permission, and you throw a pebble at him and put out his eye, there is no sin upon you." In such a case, there is neither retaliation nor blood money for putting out the eye.

➒ { ذٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ … :} That is, in these etiquettes there is benefit for both sides, for the one seeking permission and for the household. (Ibn Kathir) {’’ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُوْنَ ‘‘} So that you may take heed, that just as you dislike others entering your home without permission, others also dislike your entering their homes without permission. Alas, Muslims have stopped acting upon the command to seek permission. (Except whom Allah wills) Now, even for entering the homes of relatives, neighbors, and even strangers, there is no need for permission; on top of this, there is the widespread immodesty and clothing worse than being unclothed, due to which a flood of indecency is coming into Muslim society. As a result, adultery, suspicion, slander, rivalry, murder, and other evils are spreading. May Allah grant us the ability to act upon His limits and His commands. (Ameen)