7 Sunnah etiquettes of entering a place
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Our scholars have received and deduced some of the essential manners of entering and departing locations, such as houses or offices, from the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger (PBUH). Here are some of them:
HOW DO I GET IN?
As was the Prophet Muhammad’s custom, enter or leave your home or office with your right foot first (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Imam Abul Ala Hasan ibn Ahmad al-Hamazani, a famous hadith scholar of his time, was so committed to following this sunnah that if someone entered his house with their left foot first, he would tell them to leave and return with their right foot first.
When entering or leaving a home, do not slam or slam the door shut, nor leave it to close on its own. With your hand, discreetly close the door. You may have heard Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her), may Allah be pleased with her, cite the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): Gentleness adorns every act, according to a hadith recounted by Muslim. It will be tarnished by its absence.
GETTING IN WHILE OTHERS ARE SLEEPING
If you enter an area where people are sleeping, whether during the day or at night, be calm and gentle. When arriving or exiting, be considerate; do not make excessive noise.According to Muslim and Al-Tirmidhi, the honourable companion al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad said, “We used to keep for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) his share of milk, and when he came at night, he would greet us with a voice loud enough for those awake to hear, without disturbing those who were sleeping: Furthermore, whenever the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prayed at night, he would recite the Quran in a voice that would pleasure those awake while not disturbing those sleeping.
GREETINGS
When entering or leaving your home, greet everyone within with the Islamic greeting: Assalamu Alaykum wa Rahmatul Allahi wa Barakatuh. Do not substitute another greeting, such as “Good Morning” or “Hello,” for this Islamic greeting. This peace greeting is a symbol of Islam, as well as a statement that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) endorsed and used. When entering or leaving his home, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) advised his faithful servant Anas ibn Malik to greet his family (Al-Tirmidhi).
When you enter your house, greet your family, stated Qatada ibn Diama al-Sadusi, a famous tabi’in (successor). They are the ones who are most deserving of your greeting.” “It is preferable to recite Bismillah arRahman arRahim (In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful) whether you enter your house or the house of others,” said Imam Nawawi in al-Majmu, according to al-Tirmidhi. Even if you enter deserted or uninhabited areas, you should say salaam, according to Al-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud, who narrated a hadith by Anas that should be recited while entering:
AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF YOUR APPEARANCE
Before approaching someone inside a residence, make your presence known to them. Don’t startle or frighten them, and don’t come down on them unexpectedly. “When a person enters his residence, it is suggested that he makes noise by clearing his throat or tapping his shoes,” remarked Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal.
APPLICATION FOR PERMISSION TO ENTER
If you want to join family members who are sleeping in their rooms, you should ask permission or knock on the door. Otherwise, you may see them in a state that you, or they, find objectionable. This rule applies to everyone in the house, whether they are family or not.
RINGING AND KNOCKING
Knock on the door or ring the doorbell in a courteous manner that is not louder than necessary to announce your arrival. Do not repeatedly ring the bell or knock loudly and violently. Keep in mind that you are a visitor, not a thug breaking into the house and terrifying the residents. Similarly, Al-Bukhari claimed in al-Adab al-Mufrad that the Prophet’s (PBUH) companions used to use the tips of their fingers to knock on the Prophet’s (PBUH) door. For individuals whose living quarters are close to the door, this light and gentle knocking, or ringing, is appropriate.
IN RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION “WHO IS IT?”
You may be questioned, “Who is it?” when knocking on the door. Identify yourself by saying, “It’s me,” “someone,” or “Guess who?” but do not say, “It’s me,” “somebody,” or “Guess who?” These words will not help you figure out who is at the door. Because it does not reveal your name, the Prophet (PBUH) advised against saying, “It’s me.” ‘I came to the Prophet (PBUH) and knocked on his door, and he asked: ‘Who is it?’ said Jabir ibn Abdullah, according to Al-Bukhari. I said, “It is me,” to which the Prophet (PBUH) retorted, “It is me, it is me.” As a result, whenever the companions were asked, “Who is it?” they would respond with their names.
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