Part 12

(1 Rulings from the Permanent Council For Scientific Researcher And Religious, Saudi Arabia (8/246)

speech.” What we rely on as proof in this issue are the general implications of authentic Akadeeth and the well-known as well as well-established practice of our pious predecessors; we do not, however, rely on the following hadith: ‘As-Salaam is before speech.” Although this hadith explicitly proves the ruling we mentioned, it is weak. At-Tirmidhee said, ‘This hadith is Munkar (one of the categories of a weak hadith).”"!

24) Extending Greetings Of Peace To People That Are Known For Being Sinners Or Innovators

As for those who do sins openly, you should extend greetings of peace to them and respond to their greetings. An-Nawawee gave a more detailed ruling for this issue: “If a Muslim is not wellknown for either evildoing or innovations, then he should be greeted and his greetings should be answered. It is Sunnah to initiate greetings with him, and it is compulsory to answer his greetings. But if a sinner is well-known for his evildoing, should you refrain from greeting him? If, by not greeting him there is an overwhelming benefit - for instance, he will feel compelled to forsake his evil deeds when he sees that you have boycotted him - you should refrain from greeting him, in the hope that he will desist from his evil. But if the opposite is the case, and you are almost sure that you not greeting him will only increase him in evil, then you should greet him and respond to his greetings, thus seeking to minimize his evil, because there is no benefit in not greeting him. This issue is based on the [ruling for the] issue of boycotting [evildoers and innovators].””

The above-mentioned ruling applies to the people of evil, but what about innovators? Innovations are of two kinds: the practitioner of the first kind exits from the fold of Islam; the practitioner of the second kind does not exit from the fold of Islam. Under no circumstances should one greet the first kind of innovator. As for the second kind of innovator, the one who does not exit the fold of Islam because of his innovation, then the above-mentioned ruling for [well-known] sinners applies to him as well.

(1 Al-Adhkaar (pg. 362)

Chapter -2 The Manners Of Giving Greetings Of Peace 79

Shaikh Ibn ‘Uthaimeen spoke about the ruling for boycotting evildoers and innovators; that ruling he issues also applies to refraining from greeting them, because it is one of the ways of boycotting someone’s company. The Shaikh said, “As for boycotting [innovators], then that depends on their innovation. If one’s innovation takes him outside of the fold of Islam, then it is compulsory to boycott him. And if his innovation is of a lesser kind, then we must look into his situation. If there is benefit in boycotting him, we do so; otherwise, we don’t. This is because the basic and general principle is that it is forbidden to boycott a believer, for the Prophet #8 said,

“Tt is not permissible for a believing man to forsake the company (i.e., boycott) his brother for more than three [days].””

The story of Ka’ab Ibn Maalik is another proof for the issue in question. It is the story of how he remained behind, not going with the Prophet # to do battle, and of when Allah 3% accepted his repentance. In giving an account of this story, Ka’ab said, “And the Messenger of Allah #% forbade the Muslims from talking to us three, from among those that remained behind [from the battle]. People stayed away from us and changed in [their dealings] with us. [The situation became so bad and | became so dejected] that the earth became strange to me in my self, not being the one that I had known. We remained upon that state for 50 nights. As for my two companions, they submitted [themselves to the situation], remaining in their homes and crying. As for me, I was the youngest and hardiest of the group; I would go out and attend prayer with the Muslims; I walked in the marketplace, though no one would speak to me; and I would go to the Messenger of Allah # and extend greetings of peace to him while he would be in his place of sitting after the prayer. And I would say to myself, ‘did he move his lips in answering my greeting [of peace] or no?!

"Il Related by Bukhaaree (4418). The reader perhaps noticed that I related a

25) Before One Parts From A Gathering, It Is Sunnah For Him To Give Greetings Of Peace

Just as one gives ‘As-Salaam’ when entering upon a gathering, it

is also Sunnah to give ‘As-Salaam’ when parting from that

gathering. Abu Hurairah # reported that the Prophet # said,

pli 68 Of suf OG ple aed Stel re] Bp wv y Sb IY oc

“When one of you ends up at a gathering, let him extend greetings of peace. Then if he intends to stand [and leave], let him extend greetings of peace. The first is not more of a right [duty] than the last (i.e., both are equally Sunnah). ayy

large portion of the hadith, when the proof for this issue is found in the last line only. This is because boycotting and refraining from extending greetings are closely linked issues: each one implies the other.

") Related by At-Tirmidhee (2861), who said, “Hasan,” and by Abu Daawood (5208), and Al-Albaanee said, “Hasan sahih.” Al-Bukhaaree related it in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad (1008). At-Tahaawee related it in Mushkal Al-Aathaar (1350).

Chapter -3 The Manners Of Seeking Permission To Enter...

The Manners Of Seeking Permission To Enter Another Person’s Home, Room, Property, Or Any Private Space!”!

“O you who believe! Enter not houses other than your own, until you have asked permission” (Quran 24:27)

And Allah 3€ said: “O you who believe! Let your legal slaves and nd slaves and those among you who have not come to the age of puberty ask

your permission (before they come to your presence)” (Quran

And Allah 4 said:

“And when the children among you come to puberty, then let them (also) ask for permission” (Quran 24:59)

The Prophet # said,

"| placed the chapter of ‘As-Salaam' before this one, because it is

recommended to greet people who are inside first and then ask their permission to enter, a ruling that is supported by the wording of different narrations, such as this one: “Say: Assalaamu ‘Alaikum, may | enter (the source of this hadith will be mentioned shortly).” Also, the practice of the Companions % supports this ruling.

“Seeking permission [to enter another person's private space] has been made compulsory only because of eyesight (i.e., only so that people do not see that which is unlawful for them to see, such as a stranger woman).”” (Bukhaaree and Muslim)

The Islamic Manners Related To Asking Permission

1) The Sunnah Is To Greet First And Then Ask For Permission To Enter

Kaldah Ibn Hanbal related that Safwaan Ibn Umayyah sent him to the Messenger of Allah # with milk, a baby gazelle, and (Egyptian) cucumbers; and at the time, the Prophet #% was in the northern part of Makkah. Kaldah related, “I entered without having greeted [anyone inside]. And so the Prophet 2% said,

‘Go back and say: As-Salaamu ‘Alaikum.’

And this occurred after Safwaan Ibn Umayyah # had accepted Islam.)

In another narration, Rib’ee Ibn ‘Aamir 4 related that a man from Banee ‘Aamir asked permission to enter the Prophet's house, saying, ‘May I enter?” The Prophet #% said to his servant,

RS cele ENT co 5 Lo

“Go out to this one and teach him how to ask permission. Say to him, ‘Say: ‘Assalaamu ‘Alaikum, may I enter?’

Ibn ‘Abbaas said, “Umar 4 asked permission [to enter into

"] Related by Ahmad (14999) and Abu Daawood (5176), and the wording here is from his narration. Al-Albaanee said, “‘sahih.” And At-Tirmidhee related it as well (2710).

"1 Related by Ahmad (22617) and Abu Daawood (5177), and the wording mentioned here is from his narration of the hadith. Al-Albaanee said, “sahih.”

Chapter -3 The Manners Of Seeking Permission To Enter... 83

the presence] of the Prophet #%, saying, ‘As-Salaamu ‘Alaikum upon the Messenger of Allah; As-Salaamu ‘Alaikum. May ‘Umar enter?)

2) The Person Who Is Seeking Permission Should Stand To The Right Or To The Left Of The Door, But Not Directly In Front Of Jt

This is so that he does not see something that is unlawful for him to see or something that the owner of the home would not like him to see. After all, seeking permission was legislated only because of sight. ‘Abdullah [bn Yusr 4 said, ‘‘When the Prophet # would arrive at the door of people, he would not face the door directly, but rather [he would be] at its right or left corner. And he would say, ‘As-Salaamu ‘Alaikum, As-Salaamu ‘Alaikum,’ and that is because homes would not have covers over them in those days.”?] Huzail said, “A man came and stood at the door of the Prophet #, seeking permission to enter. He stood before the door, directly facing it. The Prophet #¢ said to him,

“Like this or like this (perhaps indicating that he should stand to the right or to the left of the door, but not directly before it), for seeking permission is [legislated] for sight only.)

" Related by Al-Bukhaaree in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, and Al-Albaanee said, “Its chain is authentic.” (Sahech Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, pg. 420). And Ibn ‘Abdul-Barr related it with his chain, and before mentioning its chain, he said about the hadith, {It is] from the best of Ahaadeeth that are related in regards to how one should ask permission...” (At-Tamheed (3/202) Related by Ahmad (17239) and Abu Daawood (5186), and the wording mentioned here is from his narration of the hadith. Al-Albaanee said, “sahih.” Bukhaaree related it with this wording in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad (1078): “When the Prophet 3% would go to a door, wanting to ask permission [to enter], he would not face it; instead, he would come from [its] right or fits] left. If permission would be given to him, [he would enter]; otherwise, he would leave.” About this narration, Al-Albaanee said, “Hasan sahih.”

3) It Is Forbidden For One To Look Into Someone’s Home Without His Permission

The Prophet #¢ explained that the only reason why it is legislated to ask permission before entering the private space of someone is to prevent one from seeing that which is unlawful for him to see. Hence, if one transgresses and sees in another person’s home what is unlawful for him to see and if the owner of the home then plucks out his eye, there is no legal recourse for the victim, no lawful punishment or penalty for the attacker. This ruling is based on a hadith that is related by Abu Hurairah <, in which the Prophet 2 said,