❖ Notifying Before Entering Home After a Long Journey ❖
Authored by: Imrān Ayyūb Lāhorī
References: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Musnad Aḥmad, Ibn Ḥibbān, etc.
Narrated by Jābir ibn ʿAbdillāh (رضي الله عنه):
“We were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on a military expedition. Upon returning to Madinah, when we began heading to our homes, the Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Wait for a while. Do not enter at night (i.e., at ʿIshāʾ time), so that the woman with disheveled hair may comb it, and the one whose husband has been away may shave her private hair (i.e., perform personal grooming).’”
[al-Bukhārī: 5079 – Kitāb al-Nikāḥ, Muslim: 1527, Abū Dāwūd: 2778, al-Dārimī: 2/146, Aḥmad: 3/303, Ibn Ḥibbān: 4/27]
Also narrated by Jābir (رضي الله عنه):
“When one of you returns from a long absence, he should not enter upon his family at night.”
[al-Bukhārī: 5243 – Kitāb al-Nikāḥ, Muslim: 715, Abū Dāwūd: 2776, al-Tirmidhī: 2712, Abū Yaʿlā: 1843, Ibn Ḥibbān: 4182, al-Ḥumaydī: 1297, Aḥmad: 3/299, al-Bayhaqī: 5/260]
Both narrations emphasize the same prophetic wisdom:
➤ A husband returning from a long journey should inform his household in advance of his arrival.
➤ This allows the women of the household to prepare themselves, freshen up, and beautify, making their presence a source of joy and comfort for their husbands.
Today, it is easy and practical to notify the household through:
This practice not only revives a Sunnah, but also strengthens emotional bonding and harmony between spouses.
ھذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
Authored by: Imrān Ayyūb Lāhorī
References: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Musnad Aḥmad, Ibn Ḥibbān, etc.
Informing the Family Before Arriving Home from a Long Journey
✦ Ḥadīth ①: Delaying Entry Until Proper Preparation
Narrated by Jābir ibn ʿAbdillāh (رضي الله عنه):
“We were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on a military expedition. Upon returning to Madinah, when we began heading to our homes, the Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Wait for a while. Do not enter at night (i.e., at ʿIshāʾ time), so that the woman with disheveled hair may comb it, and the one whose husband has been away may shave her private hair (i.e., perform personal grooming).’”
[al-Bukhārī: 5079 – Kitāb al-Nikāḥ, Muslim: 1527, Abū Dāwūd: 2778, al-Dārimī: 2/146, Aḥmad: 3/303, Ibn Ḥibbān: 4/27]
✦ Ḥadīth ②: Avoiding Sudden Night Entry
Also narrated by Jābir (رضي الله عنه):
“When one of you returns from a long absence, he should not enter upon his family at night.”
[al-Bukhārī: 5243 – Kitāb al-Nikāḥ, Muslim: 715, Abū Dāwūd: 2776, al-Tirmidhī: 2712, Abū Yaʿlā: 1843, Ibn Ḥibbān: 4182, al-Ḥumaydī: 1297, Aḥmad: 3/299, al-Bayhaqī: 5/260]
Purpose and Wisdom of This Instruction:
Both narrations emphasize the same prophetic wisdom:
➤ A husband returning from a long journey should inform his household in advance of his arrival.
➤ This allows the women of the household to prepare themselves, freshen up, and beautify, making their presence a source of joy and comfort for their husbands.
Application in the Modern Context:
Today, it is easy and practical to notify the household through:
- Phone calls
- Emails
- Text messages
- Other means of communication
This practice not only revives a Sunnah, but also strengthens emotional bonding and harmony between spouses.
ھذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
