ADAAB ISTEEZAN

Nowadays, the precepts of the Deen of Islam are so unknown that Muslims lose their identities and stray from the right path. Therefore, one of the tasks that 'Al Haadi' has set itself is to present you with the recommendations and to teach you the way of life in Islam. In this edition, we present to you the Adaab of Isteezan that we hope you will benefit from.

Isteezan, a word meaning to seek permission, refer to the rule of behaviour of an individual before entering a house. Everyone's home is a place of rest, which they can use without any constraint and in complete freedom. Among the favours that Allah Ta'ala grants to His creatures, life under a roof is one of the most beneficial.

"And Allah Ta'ala has granted you an abode in your homes." (16:80)

This verse shows how Allah Ta'ala, through His mercy towards His creatures and with the idea of preserving harmony and freedom in the lives of individuals, has made the homes of men a place of rest where each member of a household can do his work, and rest in complete freedom. A roof is the exclusive property of a resident who enjoys it in his own way. In Islam, any wrong done to someone is haraam: and interference in the freedom of a person is a wrong against him. Thus, interference with a person's home without getting permission is interference in his freedom. In order to preserve this freedom of others, Allah teaches us to seek permission before entering someone's home.

"O you who have Imaan, do not enter any home besides your own until you have acquired permission and greeted the inhabitants." (24:27)

When there is a sick person in someone's house or when a person is so preoccupied with his or her tasks, it is very often difficult to receive a visitor. Allah Ta'ala teaches the visitor who has not obtained permission to enter the house, to return without feeling any vexation in his heart.

"And if you are told, 'Go back!' well, go back; It's purer for you." (24:128)

Often in the train of their daily chores, women are in light clothing at home. In order to prevent the gaze of a stranger from falling on the women in the house, the Isteezan protects both the inhabitants of the house and the visitor, thus preventing Shaitan from creating a disease in the heart of the visitor, thus protecting everyone from the symptoms of Zina. When one decides to enter a house where the "MAHRAM" (the one with whom the marriage is Haraam) lives, it is "MUSTAHAB" (meritorious deed) to seek the Isteezan.

In the Mu'atta of Imam Maalik (Rahimahullah), it is mentioned in a narration that a person came to ask Rasulullah (Sallallaahu A'laihi Wasallam) who replied with an affirmation. And the person insists on making it clear to Rasulullah (Sallallaahu A'laihi Wasallam) that he lives in the same house as his mother. Once again, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu A'laihi Wasallam) replied in the affirmative by saying to him, "Seek the Isteezan"; whereupon the person reiterated to Rasulullah (Sallallaahu A'laihi Wasallam) who maintained his stance about Isteezan before going by his mother, saying to him: "Would you be happy at the sight of your mother being unclothed?"

Allaamah Qaazi Sanaaullah (Rahmatullah alayh) pointed out in his Tafsir 'Mazhari' that whoever enters his own house where Mahram women live together, it is Makruh Tanzihi (undesirable) for him to make his appearance without the Isteezan. Continuing his explanations, Allaamah Qaazi Sanaullah (Rahimahullah) pointed out that the idea of the Isteezan is to avoid seeing the "Masturat" without pardah. 

And since there is not even a need to ask for the Isteezan among the Mahrams for this purpose, but the fact that there is a tiny probability of seeing someone unclothed in one's own house makes the appearance without the Isteezan Makruh Tanzeehi.

The wife of Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas'ud (Radiyallahu anhu), reports that when her husband used to come home, he would identify himself before entering the house in order to prevent us from being in a situation that would not attract his pleasure.

When Ibn Juraij (Radiyallahu anhu) asked Hadhrat Ata (Radiyallahu anhu) if one should obtain permission before entering by one's own wife, Hadhrat Ata (Radiyallahu anhu) replied "No".

Commenting on the verdict of Hadhrat Ata (Radiyallahu anhu), Ibn Kathir states that this practice is Mustahab after having studied the case of Hadrat Ibn Mas'ud (Radiyallahu anhu).

 The Isteezan is WAAJIB in the following circumstances:

a) When someone returns home, to a compartment of the house reserved exclusively for the opposite sexes, where the probability of seeing the female members in light clothing is so great.

(b) It is strongly recommended to avoid entering a person's home without the Isteezan at the following times:- Before the Salah of Fajr, during the nap of Zuhr and after the Salah I'sha. "Your slaves and your children who have not yet come of age must seek permission (to enter your room) on three occasions; (these occasions are) before the Fajr Salah; when you remove your clothes in the afternoons, after the Isha Salah (when you retire to bed for the night). These are three times of seclusion for you." (24:58)

This practice also applies to children and close family members. A visitor arriving at someone's home should never knock on the door so loudly as to give an emotional shock to the residents. He has to knock in the right way. In practice, when the Sahaabah (Radiyallahu anhum) visited the house of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu A'laihi Wasallam), they knocked with the nails as a sign of respect for the Prophet of Allah (sallallaahu A'laihi Wasallam).

In a big house where it is difficult for the voice of the visitor to reach its inhabitants, it is permitted to use the bell. When a person arrives at someone's house, he must knock at the door to get permission to enter it, and if he does not receive an answer, it is Sunnat to repeat the Isteezan a second time, and even a third time if possible; but there must be a reasonable course of time between the first and third Isteezan. If no answer is obtained, it is better to leave.

It is narrated by Abu Musa Ash'ari (Radiyallahu anhu) in a narration of Bukhari that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu A'laihi Wasallam) said: "If a person does Isteezan three times when he goes to a person's house and does not get any answer, it is better for him to leave." But it should be noted that when a person arrives at someone's house, before knocking at the door, he must stand discreetly next to the door and must never look at anyone sneakily or stealthily or slide an eye through the half-open door to look into the house.

Rasulullah (Sallallaahu A'laihi Wasallam), showed his indignation at this kind of practice in a very severe Hadith. According to Hadhrat Anas bin Maalik (Radiyallahu anhu), a man had looked through a hole in his house; Rasulullah (Sallallaahu A'laihi Wasallam) stood up and pointed one or more spearheads that he had in his hand at his direction: "I can still see him brandishing this iron towards him as if to pierce him." (Bukhari)

When one arrives at the doorstep of someone's home, the visitor first knocks, greets the occupants then IDENTIFIES himself and then asks for permission to enter. Hadhrat Umar (Radiyallahu anhu) illustrates this practice when he visited Rasulullah (Sallallaahu A'laihi Wasallam).

At the gate of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu A'laihi Wasallam), Hadhrat Umar (Radiyallahu anhu) always wished peace upon the Messenger of Allah (Sallallaahu A'laihi Wasallam) by saying "Assalamu ala Rasulillah (Peace be upon the Messenger of Allah), Assalaamualaikum. Does Umar have permission to enter?"

Another example is that of Hadhrat Abu Musa Ash'ari (Radiyallahu anhu) visiting Hadhrat Umar (Radiyallahu anhu). When he came to the gate of Hadhrat Umar (Radiyallahu anhu), he said: 

"Assalaamualaikum, it is Abu Musa."

"Assalaamualaikum, it is Ash'ari."

From this hadith of Muslim Sharif, it is clear that Hadhrat Abu Musa (Radiyallahu anhu) identified himself fully and clearly by the gate of Hadhrat Umar (Radiyallahu anhu). Nowadays, often when knocking at the door of a house, the visitor would have to wait for a long time before being received. Logically, the owner of the house lingers for a while in order to find out the identity of the visitor before opening the door. Nevertheless, how many times do we come across the formula "It's me" from the mouth of the visitor when we ask him about his identity.

Once Hadhrat Ali bin Aasim (Radiyallahu anhu) went to the house of Hadhrat Mugheera bin Shauba (Radiyallahu anhu). When he arrived at the house of Hadhrat Mugheera bin Shauba (Radiyallahu anhu), he knocked at the door. Hadhrat Mugheera (Radiyallahu anhu) asked, "Who is it?" To which Hadhrat Ali bin Aasim (Radiyallahu anhu) replied, "Me". On this, Hadhrat Mugheera bin Shauba (Radiyallahu anhu) said that not a single one of his friends was named "Me". He came out of his house and narrated a Hadith of Hadhrat Jabir bin Abdullah (Radiyallahu anhu). When he arrived at the house of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu A'laihi Wasallam), he knocked at the door and Rasulullah (Sallallaahu A'laihi Wasallam) asked, "Who is it?" Hadhrat Jabir (Radiyallahu anhu) replied: "It's me!" And the Prophet of Allah asked, "Why say 'It's me! It's me!' By saying "It's me!" we are unable to identify a person". 

Another shortcoming in the Isteezan is when the owner of the house asks for the identity of the visitor, he does not even answer! Often, when going to the scholar of Deen-E-Islam, it is preferable not to opportune him abruptly in order to interrupt him in the train of his thought. Hadhrat Abdullah Ibn Abbaas (Radiyallahu anhuma) narrated that "there were times when I used to go to the house of an Ansaari very late in the afternoon in order to obtain a hadith. If I had done the Isteezan, no one would have refused me the right of entering, but on this occasion I considered the Isteezan as a lack of respect and I was hesitant to opportune a brother. I preferred to wait until he comes out".

Extending the practice of Isteezan to the current circumstances, it can be deduced that the same rules apply when using the telephone. That is, not to opportune someone for trivial things at a late hour. However, there are people who hear the phone ringing incessantly and don't even bother to lift the receiver. It is not an Islamic practice.

In a public place, such as the post office, at the hotel, at the Musafir Khana, etc., Isteezan is not obligatory. If someone, in the office of his functions, sends a subordinate to call another officer, when the latter arrives in the company of the subordinate, it is not necessary for him to apply the Isteezan.

We pray to Allah Ta'ala to help our brothers in Islam by granting them the courage and enthusiasm to learn and study the correct method of behaviour of a true Muslim in order to preserve the little morality that this world possesses.

[English version of "Aadaab Isteezan" – Al Haadi – Vol. 1 No. 2]