Part 13

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“When one looks inside of the home of people without their

permission, it becomes permissible for them to gouge out his

And in another narration, Abu Hurairah .# reported that the Messenger of Allah 2% said,

“Were a man to look at you [in your home or private property] without permission, and were you then to pelt him with pebbles and knock out his eye, there would be no sin upon you,’"7!

And in yet another narration, Anas Ibn Maalik # reported that a man looked through [a hole or an opening of] one of the Prophet's apartments, and so the Prophet #% stood up to go to him with an arrowhead or with arrowheads. It was as if I saw the Messenger of Allah #8 try to take him by surprise in order to stab him.”

"] Related by Muslim (2158) "I Related by Bukhaaree (6888) and Muslim (2158) 8] Bukhaaree (6242) and Muslim (2157)

Chapter -3 The Manners Of Seeking Permission To Enter... 85

4) You Should Seek Permission To Enter Three Times Only

If, after the third time, you are still not given permission to enter, you should return from whence you came. Abu Moosa AlAsh’aree # related that the Messenger of Allah #¢ said,

“If one of you asks permission [to enter the private property of another] three times without permission being granted to him, then he should return.’""]

Question: If, after asking permission to enter three times, one is still not given permission to enter, and if he thinks that those inside did not hear his voice, what should he do?

Answer: In order to apply the apparent meaning of the abovementioned hadith, he should leave; however, some scholars have said that he may continue to ask permission to enter until he becomes sure that his voice was heard. Maalik said, “Asking permission should be done three times only, and I do not love for anyone to increase upon that, except for one who knows that he was not heard, for I see no harm in him asking again if he was sure that his voice was not heard [by those inside].””

5) The One Who Is Asking Permission Should Not Answer With, “Me,” or, “It Is Me,” or, “It Is I,” When Someone Inside Asks, “Who Is It?”

as i " Related by Bukhaaree (6245) and Muslim (2153). This is a portion of a longer narration, which gives an account of an incident that took place between ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab .% and Abu Moosa Al-Ash’aree 4.

‘Who is there?’ I answered, ‘Me.’ He 2 said,

‘Me, me,’ in a way that showed his dislike of my answer." It is, on the other hand, okay for the seeker of permission to say, ‘I am...’ and then his name. ‘Abdullah Ibn (son of) Buraidah 4 related that his father said, ‘The Prophet # left to go to the Masjid; meanwhile, Abu Moosa was reciting. He #¢ said,

‘Who is this?’ I said, ‘I am Buraidah; may I be made ransom for you.’ He # said,

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‘This one has been given a flute (i.e., his voice) from the flutes of Daawood’s family. ath

It is also okay for the seeker of permission to say, “I am Abu (the father of) so and so.” During the year of the Makkah Conquest, Umm Haanai once went to the Prophet #¢ and learned that he was taking a shower. His daughter, Faatimah %, was holding up a cover to protect him from the view of others. Umm Haanai % later said, ‘Then I extended greetings of peace to him, and he said, ‘Who is this?’ I said, ‘I am Umm Haanai (the mother of Haanai) Bint (the daughter of) Abu Taalib’...”"9)

One may also say, “I am judge so and so,” or, “I am Shaikh so and so”; what matters is that one clearly conveys his identity without arousing confusion instead. Therefore, if the seeker of permission shares a name with another common acquaintance

') Bukhaaree (6250) and Muslim (2155)

!2] Bukhaaree related it in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad (1087), and Al-Albaanee ruled that it is authentic.

‘3 Bukhaaree (357) and Muslim (336)

Chapter -3 The Manners Of Seeking Permission To Enter... 87

and since voice does not always clearly convey a person’s identity, he should remove all doubt, for instance, by saying his full name. One ‘Eid, after the Prophet #% delivered a sermon to the women present during ‘Eid prayer, he returned home, and when he reached his home, Zainab, the wife of Ibn Mas’ood -#, asked permission to enter into his presence. It was said, “O Messenger of Allah, this is Zainab.” He 2 said,

“Which Zainab?’ Then it was said, ‘’The wife of Ibn Mas’ood.” And he #% said,

“Yes, give her permission to enter.”")

The proper etiquette, therefore, is to announce one’s presence, while clearly conveying one’s identity.

6) The Seeker Of Permission Should Not Violently Or Harshly Beat The Door

Itis bad manners to do so, and to illustrate the proper etiquette in knocking on someone’s door, Anas Ibn Maalik % said, “Verily, the doors of the Prophet #% would be knocked upon with nails (of hands).’”"?! Commenting on this hadith, Al-Haafidh Ibn Hajar said, ‘This is understood from them to be an exaggeration of good manners, and it is good to do this if it is known that the person inside is near the door. However, if it is known (or if it is likely) that he is far from the door, in which case the sound of knocking with one’s nails will not reach him, then it is recommended to knock more loudly, according to what is loud enough [for the person inside to hear].”")

Al-Maimoonee related that when a woman once knocked harshly

{| Related by Bukhaaree (1462)

"1 Bukhaaree related it in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad (1080), and Al-Albaanee said, “sahih.””

on the door of Abu ‘Abdullah, he went out and exclaimed, ‘“That is the knocking of the police!”

7) \f The Owner Of The Home Says To The One Seeking Permission, “Return,” Then He Should Return

Allah 3€ said: “And if you are asked to go back, go back, for it is purer for you, and Allah is All-Knower of what you do” (Qur‘an 24:28)

One of the Muhaajireen said, ‘My entire life, 1 wanted to apply this verse, but I never was able to, for on no occasion did I knock on a brother's door only to hear him say to me, ‘Return.’ Had anyone done that, I would have returned in a state of joy (joyful because he would have been able to apply the verse).””

8) If He Finds That No One Is Home, The Person That Is Asking For Permission To Enter Should Not Enter

To do so means that one is transgressing the rights of others, and this should be clear to every Muslim. One has no right to use someone else’s property without their permission, and this example falls under that ruling.

9) If One Is Invited Or If A Messenger Is Sent To Fetch Him, He Does Not Have To Ask Permission To Enter

An invitation and the sending of a messenger both imply permission, so the person that is sent for does not have to ask permission to enter. Abu Hurairah # related that the Messenger of Allah #% said,

“A man’s messenger sent to another man is his permission.”""!

And in another narration related by Abu Hurairah 4, the Messenger of Allah # said,

"1 Related by Abu Daawood (5189), and Al-Albaanee said, “sahih.”

Chapter -3 The Manners Of Seeking Permission To Enter... 89

“When one of you is invited to a meal and he comes with the

messenger (of the person who made the invitation), then that is considered as permission for him [to enter].’")

Some scholars have mentioned exceptions to this ruling: if the one invited comes after the time of the invitation or if he is going somewhere that customarily requires permission for admittance, then he should ask permission before entering.

10) When You Want To Leave A Gathering, You Should First Ask Permission This etiquette is taken from the noble manners of the Prophet ##. Asa visitor, you are required to ask permission before you enter; similarly, it is good manners in Islam to ask permission to leave. Perhaps the reason behind this etiquette is so that one’s eyes do not see in another person's private property that which is not lawful for him to see or that which the host would not like him to see. Ibn ‘Umar % reported that the Prophet # said, “If one of you visits his brother and sits with him, he must not stand until he asks him permission.”

In certain Arab countries today, people do not follow this prophetic guidance. You will find some of them leaving without asking permission first; worse even, some leave without extending greetings of peace to their host. These are practices that are certainly violations of Islamic manners.

11) Seeking Permission To Enter Into The Presence Of Your Mother, Sister, And Others Like Them

This is so that your eye does not see a private body part or a

condition upon which women do not like for others to see them. “Iigimah said, “A man went to ‘Abdullah # and said, ‘Should I

"I Related by Abu Daawood (5190), and Al-Albaanee said, “sahih.”

seek permission to enter into the presence of my mother?’ He answered, ‘It is not at all times (or in all conditions) that she would love for you to see her.” A man once asked Hudhaifah , ‘Should I seek permission to enter into the presence of my mother?” He said, “If you do not ask permission to enter into her presence, you will end up seeing that which she dislikes [for you to see].

‘Ataa related that he asked Ibn ‘Abbaas #, “Should I seek permission to enter into the presence of my sister?’’ Ibn ‘Abbaas \ said, “Yes.” ‘Ataa asked again, saying, “I have two sisters in my apartment; I supply them with provisions and I spend on them. Should I [still] ask permission to enter into their presence?” He & said, “Yes, would you want to see them naked (i.e., that is what would happen if you constantly entered their private space without first asking permission to enter)!’!