﴿يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لاَ تَدْخُلُواْ بُيُوتاً غَيْرَ بُيُوتِكُمْ حَتَّى تَسْتَأْنِسُواْ وَتُسَلِّمُواْ عَلَى أَهْلِهَا ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ – فَإِن لَّمْ تَجِدُواْ فِيهَآ أَحَداً فَلاَ تَدْخُلُوهَا حَتَّى يُؤْذَنَ لَكُمُ وَإِن قِيلَ لَكُمْ ارْجِعُواْ فَارْجِعُواْ هُوَ أَزْكَى لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ عَلِيمٌ – لَّيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ بُيُوتاً غَيْرَ مَسْكُونَةٍ فِيهَا مَتَاعٌ لَّكُمْ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا تَكْتُمُونَ ﴾

“O you who believe! Do not enter any home other than your own, until you have asked permission and greeted those in them; that is better for you, in order that you may take heed.(28) And if you do not find anyone  there, then do not enter until you are permitted to enter. If you are told to return, then return, for it is purer for you. And Allah is Aware of what you do. (29) There is no harm if you enter uninhabited homes that contain benefit for you. Allah has knowledge of what you reveal and what you conceal.”
Allah Ta’aala has provided every person a place where he lives, a home. The real purpose of a home is to provide comfort and tranquility. The Holy Quraan has referred to one’s home as a great blessing from Allah Ta’ala.  وَاللَّـهُ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّن بُيُوتِكُمْ سَكَنًا “And Allah Ta’ala has made for you your homes a place of peace and comfort.” One can only enjoy privacy, peace and comfort in his home, when he can live there without interference of anyone else, and can rest and work at will.
One of the great wisdom in seeking permission to enter a home, is to save people from interference of others and its consequent ill effects, which is obligatory on all living people.
The second consideration in the injunction, is for the visitor himself, that if he would go in to meet someone after taking permission, then the host will also reciprocate his gesture by giving him importance and respect.
The third consideration, is the elimination of obscenity and immorality.
The fourth consideration, is that sometimes one is busy in the solitude of his home, doing something which he does not want others to see.

• When a Muslim wishes to enter anyone’s home other than his own, there is a certain Islamic etiquette that must be followed. No one should enter someone else’s home without first seeking permission from the dwellers of the house.

Allah Ta’ala states in the Holy Quraan:

حَتَّىٰ تَسْتَأْنِسُوا وَتُسَلِّمُوا عَلَىٰ أَهْلِهَا

• Do not enter into anyone’s home until carrying out two things.

First Isti’nas, to seek acquaintance. The majority of the commentators have taken this word to mean Isti’dhan, that is, to seek permission. The second requirement, is greeting the inmates with Salam.
A Sahabi once entered the presence of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) without asking permission to enter. The Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) told him to go back to the door and say “Assalamualaikum. May I enter?” (Abu Dawud)
The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) has also mentioned, “Do not allow the person who does not greet to enter.” (Mishkat)

• One may not enter a house until one receives permission to do so.

If permission to enter is refused or such an indication is received the visitor must go back. He should not feel disgraced as Allah Ta’ala states “This is purer for you.” The person should not be persistent when he has already been refused to enter.
The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) has said: “When any of you seek permission thrice to enter and then receives no reply, he should leave.” (Bukhari)
The Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) once came to Sa’d bin Ubadah رضي الله عنه. After thrice requesting permission to enter, no reply was issued fourth, therefore the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) began to leave. Thereafter Sa’d رضي الله عنه ran behind the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) let him enter and served him some raisins to eat. (Mishkat)
This incident teaches us that a person should not continue knocking the door or ringing the bell incessantly when receiving no reply after the third occasion, this is uncivil and annoying for the person of the house.

• A person should not knock harshly at a person’s door, because this will startle one who is asleep or confuse a person who is performing salaah, one should knock only so audibly that someone is able to hear.
• It is not permitted to try to look inside someone else’s home. If there is no answer at the door, the visitor should not try to find a way in, or peep inside to see if someone is home. There are some visitors who look at the side of the house, or behind the house, or even through the window if there is no response at the door. They may start looking through keyholes, or over fences. This behaviour goes against the commands of Allah Ta’aala and the teaching of the Sunnah.

The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) has said: “If a person peeps through somebody else’s house without permission, the people of the house will be justified to injure his eye.” (Muslim)

• It is reported that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) never stood directly in front of the door when he requested permission to enter. He would stand at the right or the left of the door and announce “Assalaamu Alaikum.” There were no curtains on doors in those days.” (Abu dawud)

This teaches us that our gazes should never fall into the house when the door is opened.

• When a person seeks permission to enter and someone asks who he is, he should mention his name. If the person is still unaware of his identity then he must introduce himself properly.

One day Jabir ibn Abdullah رضي الله عنه went to visit the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and knocked at his door. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) inquired from inside who was there, and Jabir رضي الله عنه said “Ana” “Me”. Annoyed, the prophet said, “Me? Me?” (Bukhari)

• A person does not have to seek permission to enter his own home if he is living alone. However, if others share the house with him, he must first seek permission, even if they happen to be his close relatives like his mother, sister, etc.

Sayyidinah Ata ibn Yaasir رضي الله عنه reports that a person once asked the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم), “Should I seek permission to enter when my mother is home? “The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) replied, “You must seek her permission first.” The person then said, “But I live with my mother”. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) replied, “Then too you should request permission.”
The person mentioned, “I have to serve my mother (so I have to see her often).” The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) told him, “You should seek permission from her at all time. Do you wish to see your mother naked?” “Certainly not,” replied the person. “Then,” said the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), “You must seek permission from her whenever you wish to enter.” (Malik)

• It is even preferable for a man to seek permission from his wife before he enters. Otherwise he should at least cough, shuffle his feet or do something else like a phone call so that she knows he is coming.

Sayyidinah Abdullah ibn Masood’s رضي الله عنه wife reports that her husband always cleared his throat outside the door so that she was aware of his presence. She says that he did this so as not to see her in an unpleasant condition. (Ibn Kathir)
By making the woman aware that he is approaching, the husband will not find his wife unkempt, thereby causing her to be less attractive.

• Woman must also request permission before entering the home of another woman so that she does not see any part of her exposed body that is not permissible for her to see.

Sayyidinah Umm Ayadh رضي الله عنها narrates that she was one of four women who often visited Sayyidinah Aishah رضي الله عنها . However, she says, they always sought permission before entering and would enter only when permitted.
Some etiquettes relating to phone calls

• When we have learnt that the basic purpose of the shariah of seeking permission is to avoid giving any trouble to others, and not to disturb a person in their home, on the same principle, the following code of conduct can also be drawn.
• To ring up any one at any time which is normally his/her resting time, prayer time, unless extremely urgent, is not justified, for the same reason that it might be troublesome for him/her.
• If one has to talk to someone frequently, then it is desirable that it should be inquired from him the convenient time when he/she can talk without any trouble.
• If one has to discuss something in detail with someone on the phone, then it is advisable that he/she should first find out from the person whether he/she can talk in detail for some length of time.
• Some people do not care about the ringing of the phone. It keeps on ringing but they do not bother to answer the call. This habit is also against the Islamic ethics, and tantamount to usurpation of the right of the caller. As the hadith says, “Your guests have some rights obliged on you.” It indicates that the one who has come to meet you, it is his right that you talk to him, and do not refuse meeting with the guest without any reason. Similarly, the one who wants to talk to you on the phone, it is the caller’s right that you answer his/her call.

May Allah Ta’aala give us the tawfeeq and ability to practice upon His words and the teachings of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) Ameen.