بَابُ الِاسْتِئْذَانِSeeking Permission

¹ His statement: “When one of you seeks permission three times and is not granted permission, let him return”: Scholars unanimously agree that seeking permission is legislated, and the evidences from the Qur’an and Sunnah clearly indicate that one should greet and seek permission three times, combining the greeting with seeking permission, as explicitly stated in the Qur’an. Our scholars and the majority differed on whether it is preferable to offer the greeting first and then seek permission or to seek permission before the greeting. For this reason, it is said in Ad-Durr al-Mukhtar: “When one comes to someone’s house, he must seek permission before greeting. If he enters, he greets first and then speaks. If it is an open space, he greets first and then speaks.” As stated in Al-Khaniyyah, Fatawa Qadi Khan, and Al-Alamgiriyyah. The majority said: “He offers the greeting first, saying, ‘Peace be upon you, may I enter?’” As cited in Radd al-Muhtar from Fusul al-‘Allami: “If he enters upon his family, he greets first and then speaks. If he comes to someone else, he seeks permission to enter three times, saying each time, ‘Peace be upon you, O people of the house, may so-and-so enter?’ He waits after each attempt for the time it takes for an eater, one performing ablution, or one praying four rak‘ahs to finish. If permission is granted, he enters; otherwise, he returns free of resentment or enmity. If he enters with permission, he greets first and then speaks if he wishes.” The well-known practice in the custom of the Shari‘ah is to prioritize the greeting in all cases. The second opinion is supported by the Hadith of Abu Musa and others, and the verse we recited allows for both precedence and deferral, similar to Allah’s statement: after a will that is bequeathed or a debt [An-Nisa: 11], which allows for precedence and deferral, and His statement: O Mary, be devoutly obedient to your Lord and prostrate and bow with those who bow [Aal-E-Imran: 43], which allows for precedence and deferral since bowing in prayer precedes prostration. The Imam Az-Zahid narrated from Ibn Abbas that the verse involves precedence and deferral, meaning “until you greet and ascertain welcome.” In Al-Kashshaf, it is noted that in Abdullah’s reading: “until you greet their inhabitants and ascertain welcome.” Since the conjunction “and” does not imply order, the verse’s meaning is: “until you greet their inhabitants and seek permission.” This is also in Ibn Mas‘ud’s codex. As noted in Sharh Muslim by An-Nawawi, Al-Khazin, Ad-Durr al-Mukhtar, Qadi Khan, Al-Alamgiriyyah, Radd al-Muhtar, At-Tafsir al-Ahmadiyyah, and Mushkil al-Athar.

² His statement: “Provide evidence for it”: Al-Tayyibi said: “Some have used this Hadith to argue against relying on the report of a single narrator, but this is invalid, as scholars unanimously agree on the validity of acting upon the report of a single narrator, with abundant evidence from the actions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), the Rightly Guided Caliphs, other Companions, and those after them, too numerous to count. Umar’s statement does not mean rejecting the report of a single narrator as such, but rather he feared people hastily attributing to the Prophet what he did not say, as innovators and liars do, or someone fabricating a Hadith for a specific case. He intended to close this door, not to doubt Abu Musa’s narration, as he is too noble to be suspected of narrating what the Prophet did not say. Evidence that Umar did not reject Abu Musa’s report as a single narration is that he asked him to bring another person to confirm the Hadith, knowing that the report of two is still considered a single narration, as is any number less than mutawatir. For anything short of mutawatir is a single narration.” As noted in Al-Mirqat and Sharh Muslim by An-Nawawi.

¹ His statement: “A man should seek permission from anyone whose private parts he is prohibited from seeing”: This applies even to his close relatives, but not to his wife or slave girl. As stated in At-Ta‘liq al-Mumajjad. It is said in Al-Alamgiriyyah: “Abu Hanifah and Abu Yusuf said that one does not enter upon his mother, daughter, or sister except with permission, but for his wife, he offers the greeting and does not seek permission.” As stated in At-Tatarkhaniyyah.

¹ His statement: “that is his permission”: It is said in Radd al-Muhtar, citing Fusul al-‘Allami: “It is not obligatory to seek permission from the one who sent the messenger.”

² His statement: “they sought permission, and permission was granted to them, etc.”: Reconciliation between this and the previous Hadith, “When one of you is invited and comes with the messenger, that is his permission,” is that the people of As-Suffah came after the messenger and thus needed new permission, or they renewed seeking permission out of utmost etiquette and modesty, or there was something necessitating it, or the previous Hadith had not reached them, or this incident occurred later. These are possibilities, and Allah knows best the circumstances. As noted in Al-Mirqat.

¹ His statement: “Your permission with me is to lift the curtain, etc.”: This is a great virtue and high praise for him, due to his frequent service and constant companionship. He was the keeper of the Prophet’s sandals, siwak, purification items, and prayer mat. Congratulations to him, again and again. It indicates his honor and that he was to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) like a member of the household and a confidant. It does not mean he could enter upon him in all circumstances or upon his women or close relatives. An-Nawawi said: “It proves the permissibility of relying on a sign for granting permission to enter. If a leader, judge, or other makes lifting the curtain at his door a sign of permission to enter for the public, a specific group, an individual, or a neighbor, or another sign, it is permissible to rely on it and enter without seeking permission.” As noted in Al-Mirqat.

¹ His statement: “I knocked on the door, etc.”: It is said in Radd al-Muhtar, citing Fusul al-‘Allami: “If called from inside the house, ‘Who is at the door?’ one should not say, ‘It is I,’ as it is not a sufficient response. Rather, he should say, ‘May so-and-so enter?’ If told, ‘No,’ he returns peacefully.”

¹ His statement: “This was because houses at that time did not have curtains”: The meaning is that if there is a door or curtain providing a barrier, facing it directly is permissible, but turning aside is preferable in adherence to the original Sunnah. This is because some exposure might occur when the door is opened or the curtain lifted, as is clear to those with understanding. As noted in Al-Mirqat.