The Muslim Home – 40
Book by Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
Forming the household
Creating an atmosphere of
faith in the home
Islamic Knowledge in the home
Meetings at home
Good manners at home
Evils in the home
The home inside and out
Bismillaah il-Rahmaan il-Raheem
In the Name of Allaah, Most Gracious, Most
All praise be to Allaah, we praise Him and seek
His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own
selves and from our evil deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides, no one can lead
astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness
that there is no god but Allaah Alone, with no partner or associate, and I bear
witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.
The home is a blessing.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And Allaah has made for you in your homes an abode…” [al-Nahl 16:80]
Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
“Here Allaah, may He be blessed and exalted, is mentioning His complete blessing
to His slaves: He has given them homes which are a peaceful abode for them, to
which they retreat as a haven which covers them and gives them all kinds of
What does the home represent to each one of us?
Is it not the place where he eats, enjoys intimacy with his wife, sleeps and
rests? Is it not the place where he can be alone and can meet with his wife and
Is the home not the place that offers cover and
protection to women? Allaah tells us (interpretation of the meaning): “And
stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves like that of the times of
ignorance…” [al-Ahzaab 33:33]
If you think about those who are homeless, who
live in shelters, or on the streets, or as refugees scattered in temporary
camps, then you will realize the blessing of having a home. If you listen to a
distressed homeless person saying, “I have nowhere to settle, no fixed place to
stay. Sometimes I sleep in so and so’s house, sometimes in a café or park or on
the sea-front, and I keep my clothes in my car”, then you will realize the
disruption that results from not having the blessing of a home.
When Allaah punished the Jews of Banu Nadeer, He
took away this blessing and expelled them from their homes, as He said
(interpretation of the meaning): “He it is Who drove out the disbelievers
among the people of the Scripture (i.e. the Jews of the tribe of Banu al-Nadeer)
from their homes at the first gathering.” Then He said: “… they destroyed
their own dwellings with their own hands and the hands of the believers. Then
take admonition, O you with eyes (to see).” [al-Hashr 59:2].
There are many motives for the believer to pay
attention to putting his house in order.
Firstly: protecting himself and his family from
the Fire of Hell, and keeping them safe from the burning punishment: “O you
who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your families a Fire (Hell) whose fuel
is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who
disobey not, (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allaah, but do that
which they are commanded.” [al-Tahreem 66:6 – interpretation of the meaning].
Secondly: the great responsibility borne by the
head of the household on the Day of Reckoning.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “Allaah will ask every shepherd (or responsible person) about
his flock (those for whom he was responsible), whether he took care of it or
neglected it, until He asks a man about his household.”
Thirdly: the home is a place to protect oneself,
to keep away from evil and to keep one's own evil away from people. It is the
refuge prescribed by Islam at times of fitnah (strife, tribulation).
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “Blessed is the one who controls his tongue, whose house is
sufficient for him, and who weeps over his mistakes.”
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “There are five things, whoever does one of them, Allaah will be
with him: visiting the sick, going out for jihaad, entering upon his leader with
the intention of rebuking and respecting him , or sitting in his home so that
the people are safe from him and he is safe from the people.”
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “The safety of a man at times of fitnah is in his staying home.”
The Muslim can see the benefit of this advice
when he is residing in a foreign land where he is unable to change much of the
evil around him. Then he will have a refuge which, when he enters it, will
protect him from doing haraam things or looking at haraam things, and will
protect his wife from wanton display and unveiling, and will protect his
children from bad company.
Fourthly: people usually spend most of their time
at home, especially when it is very hot or very cold, when it is raining, early
or late in the day, and after finishing work or school, so this time should be
spent in worship and halaal pursuits, otherwise it will be spent in wrongdoing.
Fifthly and most importantly, paying attention to
the home is the most important means of building a Muslim society, because the
society is formed of the households and families that form its building blocks.
Households form neighbourhoods, and neighbourhoods form societies. If the
building blocks are sound, the society will be based on the laws of Allaah,
standing firm in the face of enemies and filled with goodness that evil cannot
penetrate. Then Muslim homes will produce pillars of society who will reform and
guide it aright, such as exemplary dai’yahs, seekers of knowledge, sincere
mujaahideen, righteous wives, caring mothers and all other types of reformers.
Because this subject is so important, and our
homes are full of so many shortcomings and evils and examples of negligence,
this begs the very important question:
What are the means of reforming our homes?
The following contains advice on this topic. May
Allaah benefit us from it, and cause the Muslims to focus their efforts on
reviving the Muslim home.
All the following advice revolves around two
things: achieving our interests, which is by establishing that which is right
and good, and warding off evil, by removing that which can cause it or bring it
into our homes.
Forming the household
(1) Making a good choice when choosing a wife
“And marry those among you who are single
(i.e., a man who has no wife and a woman who has no husband) and (also marry)
the saalihoon (pious, fit and
capable ones) of your (male) slaves and maid-servants (female slaves). If they
be poor, Allaah will enrich them out of His Bounty. And Allaah is All-Sufficient
for His creatures’ needs, All-Knowing (about the state of the people).” [al-Noor
24:32 – interpretation of the meaning].
The head of the household must select a righteous
and suitable wife based on the following conditions described in various
“A woman may be married for four things: her
wealth, her lineage, her beauty or her religion. Choose the one who is
religious, may your hands be rubbed with dust [i.e., may you prosper]!”
“This world is all temporary conveniences, and
the greatest joy in this life is a righteous wife.” (Reported by Muslim,
“Let every one of you have a thankful heart, a
remembering tongue [remembering Allaah] and a believing wife who will help him
with regard to the Hereafter.” (Reported by Ahmad, 5/282, and al-Tirmidhi
and Ibn Maajah from Thawbaan. Saheeh al-Jaami’, 5231).
According to another report: “A righteous wife to
help you with your worldly and religious affairs is the best treasure anyone
could have.” (Reported by al-Bayhaqi. Saheeh al-Jaami’, 4285).
“Marry one who is loving and fertile, for I will
be proud before the other Prophets of your great numbers on the Day of
Resurrection.” (Reported by Ahmad. Saheeh al-Irwa’, 6/195).
“I advise you to marry virgins, for their wombs
are more fresh, their mouths are more sweet and they are more content with
little.” According to another report: “… and they are less likely to deceive.”
(Reported by Ibn Maajah. Al-Silsilah al-Saheeh, 623).
Just as a righteous wife is one of the four
elements of happiness, so a bad wife is one of the four elements of misery, as
it says in the saheeh hadeeth: “One of (the elements of) happiness is a
righteous wife, who when you see her you feel pleased, and when you are away,
you feel that you can trust her with regard to herself and your property. And
one of (the elements of) misery is a bad wife who when you see her, you feel
upset, she keeps attacking you verbally, and when you are away, you do not feel
that you can trust her with regard to herself and your property.”
On the other hand, it is also essential to look
at the situation of the prospective husband who is proposing marriage to the
Muslim woman, and to agree to his proposal in accordance with the following
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “If there comes to you one with whose religion and character you
are pleased, then marry your daughter [or sister, etc.] to him, otherwise there
will be fitnah and great corruption in the land.”
All of the above must be achieved through asking
the right questions, verifying facts, gathering information and checking
sources, so that the home will not be corrupted or destroyed.
The righteous man and righteous woman together
will build a righteous home, because “the vegetation of a good land comes
forth (easily) by the Permission of its Lord, and that which is bad, brings
forth nothing but a little with difficulty…” [al-A’raaf 7:58 – interpretation of
(2) Striving to guide one’s wife
If one's wife is righteous, this is a blessing
indeed, and this is from the Bounty of Allaah. If she is not that righteous,
then it is the duty of the head of the household to strive to guide her. Any of
the following scenarios may apply:
A man may marry a woman who is not religious in
the first place, because he himself is not religious at first, or he may have
married her in the hope of guiding her, or under pressure from his relatives,
for example. In these cases he must strive hard to guide her.
A man must also realize from the outset that
guidance comes from Allaah, and that Allaah is the One Who reforms people. One
of His blessings to his slave Zakariya was, as He said (interpretation of the
meaning): “… and [We] cured his wife for him…” [al-Anbiya’ 21:90]. This
curing or reforming may have been physical or religious. Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “She
was barren and could not have children, then she had a child.” ‘Ataa’ said: “She
was harsh of tongue, and Allaah reformed her.”
There are various means of guiding or reforming
one’s wife, such as:
Paying attention to correcting her worship of
Allaah in all its aspects, as will be discussed in detail below.
Striving to strengthen her eemaan, such as:
encouraging her to pray at night (qiyaam al-layl)
encouraging her to read Qur’aan
encouraging her to memorize adhkaar and remember
the appropriate times and occasions for saying them
encouraging her to give charity
encouraging her to read useful Islamic books
encouraging her to listen to useful Islamic
cassettes that can increase knowledge and strengthen eemaan – and continuing to
supply her with them.
choosing good, religious friends for her, with
whom she can form ties of sisterhood and have good conversations and purposeful
protecting her from evil and blocking off all
avenues for it to reach her, by keeping her away from bad companions and bad
Creating an atmosphere of faith in
Making the home a place for the
remembrance of Allaah
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “The likeness of a house in which Allaah is remembered and the
house in which Allaah is not remembered is that of the living and the dead,
We must make our homes places where Allaah is
remembered in all kinds of ways, whether in our hearts, verbally, during prayer,
by reading Qur’aan, by discussing Islamic issues, or by reading different kinds
of Islamic books.
How many Muslim homes nowadays are dead because
there is no remembrance of Allaah, as mentioned in the hadeeth. What must they
be like when all that is heard therein is the music of Shaytaan with instruments
and singing, and backbiting, slander and gossip?
What must they be like when they are filled with
evil and sin, such as the haraam mixing of the sexes and wanton display between
relatives who are not mahram or with neighbours who enter the home?
How can the angels enter a home like this? Revive
your homes with all kinds of dhikr, may Allaah have mercy on you!
(4) Make your homes a qiblah
What is meant is taking the home as a place of
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And We inspired Moosa and his brother (saying): ‘Take dwellings for your people
in Egypt, and make your dwellings as places for your worship, and perform
al-salaah, and give glad tidings to the believers.’” [Yoonus 10:87].
Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “They were commanded to take
their dwellings as places of prayer [lit. mosques].”
Ibn Katheer said: “This – and Allaah knows best –
was because of the intensity of the tribulation that they were facing from
Pharaoh and his people. They were commanded to pray much, as Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning): ‘O you who believe! Seek help with patience
and prayer…’ [al-Baqarah 2:153], and as it was reported in the hadeeth that
the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), when he was
distressed by something, would pray.”
This explains the importance of worshipping at
home, especially at times when the Muslims are in a position of weakness, as
happens in some places where the Muslims cannot pray openly in front of the
kuffaar. In this context we may think of the mihraab of Maryam, which was her
place of worship, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… Every
time Zakariya entered the mihraab to visit her, he found her supplied with
sustenance…” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:37]
The Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them)
used to be keen to pray at home – apart from the fard or obligatory prayers
(which they prayed in congregation in the mosque) – and there is a moving story
concerning this. Mahmood ibn al-Rabee’ al-Ansaari reported that ‘Utbaan ibn
Maalik – who was one of the Companions of the Messenger (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) and was one of the Ansaar who had been present at Badr –
came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and
said: “I am losing my sight, and I lead my people in prayer. When it rains, the
valley between me and them gets flooded and I cannot get to their mosque to lead
them in prayer. O Messenger of Allaah, I would like you to come to come and pray
in my house so that I can take it as a place for prayer.” The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “I will do that, in sha
Allaah.” ‘Utbaan said: “The next day the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) and Abu Bakr came in the morning. The Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) asked for permission to
enter, and I gave him permission. He did not sit down until he entered the
house, then he said, ‘Where would you like me to pray in your house?’ I showed
him a corner of the house, then the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) stood up, said Takbeer, and we stood in a row behind him,
and he prayed two rak’ahs and gave the salaam at the end of the prayer.”
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, 1/519)
(5) Spiritual training for the members of the
‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said:
“The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to
pray qiyaam at night, and when he prayed witr he would say, ‘Get up and pray
witr, O ‘Aa’ishah’” (Reported by Muslim, Muslim bi Sharh al-Nawawi,
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “May Allaah have mercy on a man who gets up at night and prays,
then he wakes up his wife to pray, and if she refuses he throws water in her
face.” (Reported by Ahmad and Abu Dawood. Saheeh al-Jaami’, 3488).
Encouraging the women of one's household to give
charity is another means of increasing faith. This is something very important
which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) encouraged, when
he said, “O women! Give in charity, for I have seen that you form the majority
of the inhabitants of Hell.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath,
One of the new ideas is to have a box at home for
donations to the poor and needy: whatever is put in the box belongs to them,
because it is their vessel in the Muslim home.
If the family members see an example among them
fasting on al-Ayyaam al-Beed (the 13th, 14th and 15th
of each Hijri month), Mondays and Thursdays, Taasoo’aa’ and ‘Aashooraa’ (the 9th
and 10th of Muharram), ‘Arafaah, and frequently in Muharram and
Sha’baan, this will be a motive for them to do likewise.
Paying attention to adhkaar and Sunnah
du’aa’s that have to do with the home
Adkhaar for entering the home:
Muslim reported in his Saheeh that the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When any
one of you enters his home and mentions the Name of Allaah when he enters and
when he eats, the Shaytaan says: ‘You have no place to stay and nothing to eat
here.’ If he enters and does not mention the name of Allaah when he enters, [the
Shaytaan] says, ‘You have a place to stay.’ If he does not mention the name of
Allaah when he eats, [the Shaytaan says], ‘You have a place to stay and
something to eat.’” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad, al-Musnad, 3/346;
Abu Dawood reported in his Sunan that the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If a man
goes out of his house and says, ‘Bismillaah, tawakkaltu ‘ala Allaah, laa
hawla wa laa quwwata illaa Billaah (In the name of Allaah, I put my trust in
Allaah, there is no help and no strength except in Allaah),’ it will be said to
him, ‘This will take care of you, you are guided, you have what you need and you
are protected.’ The Shaytaan will stay away from him, and another shaytaan will
say to him, ‘What can you do with a man who is guided, provided for and
protected?’” (Reported by Abu Dawood and al-Tirmidhi. Saheeh al-Jaami’,
Imaam Muslim reported in his Saheeh that
‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “When the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) entered his house, the first thing
he would do was use siwaak.” (Reported by Muslim, Kitaab al-Tahaarah,
chapter 15, no. 44).
Continuously reciting Soorat al-Baqarah in the house to ward off the Shaytaan
There are a number of ahaadeeth concerning this,
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “Do not make your houses into graves. The Shaytaan
flees from a house in which Soorat al-Baqarah is recited.” (Reported by
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “Recite Soorat al-Baqarah in your houses, for the
Shaytaan does not enter a house in which Soorat al-Baqarah is recited.”
(Reported by al-Haakim in al-Mustadrak. 1/561; Saheeh al-Jaami’,
Concerning the virtues of the last two aayaat of
this soorah, and the effect of reciting them in one’s house, he (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah wrote a document two thousand
years before He created the heavens and the earth, which is kept near the
Throne, and He revealed two aayaat of it with which He concluded Soorat
al-Baqarah. If they are recited in a house for three consecutive nights, the
Shaytaan will not approach it.” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad in al-Musnad,
4/274, and others. Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1799).
Islamic Knowledge in the home
(8)Teaching the family
This is an obligation which the head of the
household must undertake, in obedience to the command of Allaah (interpretation
of the meaning): “O you who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your
families a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones…” [al-Tahreem 66:6].
This aayah is the basic principle regarding the teaching and upbringing of one's
family, and enjoining them to do what is good and forbidding them to do what is
evil. There follow some of the comments of the mufassireen on this aayah, in so
far as it pertains to the duties of the head of the household.
Qutaadah said: “He should command them to obey
Allaah, and forbid them to disobey Him, and direct them in accordance with the
commands of Allaah, and help them to do that.”
Dahhaak and Muqaatil said: “It is the Muslim’s
duty to teach his family, including relatives and female slaves, what Allaah has
enjoined upon them and what He has forbidden.”
‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
“Teach them and discipline them.”
Al-Tabari (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
“We must teach our children and wives the religion and goodness, and whatever
they need of good manners. If the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) used to urge the teaching of female servants, who were
slaves, what do you think about your children and wives, who are free?”
Al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) said
in his Saheeh: “Chapter: a man’s teaching his female slaves and wife.”
Then he quoted the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him): “There are three who will have two rewards: … a man who has a female slave
whom he teaches good manners and teaches her well, and teaches her knowledge,
and teaches her well, then he frees her and marries her: he will have two
Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said,
commenting on this hadeeth: “The chapter heading refers specifically to female
slaves, and to wives by analogy, i.e., teaching one’s free wife about her duties
towards Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger is more clearly essential than
teaching one's female slaves.”
In the midst of all a man’s activities, work and
other commitments, he may forget to allow himself time for teaching his wife.
One solution to this is to allocate some time for the family, and even for
others such as relatives, to hold a study-circle at home. He can let everyone
know the time and encourage them to come regularly, so that it will be an
ongoing commitment for him and for them. Something similar happened at the time
of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
Al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
“Chapter: can the women be given a day exclusively for them to seek knowledge”?
and quoted the hadeeth of Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him):
“The women said to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): ‘The
men always crowd us out and we cannot reach you, so set aside a day for us when
we can come to you.’ So he set aside a day when he would meet them and teach
Ibn Hajar said: “A similar report was narrated by
Sahl ibn Abi Saalih from Abu Hurayrah, according to which [the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] said: ‘Your appointment is in the house of
so and so,’ and he came to them and spoke to them.’”
What we learn from this is that women should be
taught in their houses, and we see how keen the women of the Sahaabah were to
learn. Directing teaching efforts to men alone, and not to women, is a serious
shortcoming on the part of dai’yahs and heads of households.
Some readers may ask, suppose we set aside a day,
and tell our families about it – what should we study in these gatherings? Where
do we begin?
I suggest that you begin with a simple program to
teach your family in general, and the women in particular, using the following
The tafseer of al-‘Allaamah Ibn Sa’di, entitled
Tayseer al-Kareem al-Rahmaan fi Tafseer Kalaam al-Mannaan, which is
published in seven volumes and is written in an easy style; you can read it or
teach somes soorahs and passages from it.
– you coul discuss the ahaadeeth quoted, along with the footnotes and the
lessons learned from them. You could also refer to the book Nuzhat
Hasan al-Uswah bimaa thubita ‘an Allaahi wa
Rasoolihi fi’l-Nuswah, by al-‘Allaamah
Siddeeq Hasan Khaan.
It is also important to teach women some of the
ahkaam of fiqh, such as the rulings on tahaarah (purity) and menstrual and
post-partum bleeding, salaah, zakaah, siyaam (fasting) and hajj, if she is able
to go; some of the rulings on food and drink, clothing and adornment, the sunan
al-fitrah, rulings on mahaarim (who is a mahram relative and who is not),
rulings on singing and photography, and so on. Among the important sources of
such information are the fatwas (rulings or edicts) of the scholars, such as the
collections of fatwas by Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz and Shaykh Muhammad ibn
Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen, and other scholars, whether they are written fatwas or
fatwas recorded on tapes.
Another matter that may be included in a syllabus
for teaching women and family members is reminding them of lessons or public
lectures given by trustworthy scholars and seekers of knowledge which they can
attend, so they can have a variety of excellent sources for learning. We should
not forget either the radio programs of Idhaa’at al-Qur’aan al-Kareem; another
means of teaching is reminding family members of the particular days when women
can attend Islamic bookstores, and taking them there, within the guidelines of
sharee’ah [i.e., proper hijaab, etc.]
(9)Start building an Islamic “library” in your
Another thing that will help in teaching your
family and letting them develop a understanding of their religion and help them
adhere to its rules, is having one’s own Islamic library at home. It does not
have to be extensive; what matters is choosing good books, putting them in a
place where they are readily accessible, and encouraging family members to read
You could put books in a clean and tidy corner of
the living room, and in a suitable place in a bedroom or guest room; this will
make it easy for any member of the family to read constantly.
In order to build a library properly – and Allaah
loves things to be done properly – you should include references so that family
members can research various matters and children can use them for their
studies. You should also include books of varying levels, so that old and young,
men and women can all use them. You should also have books for giving to guests,
children’s friends and family visitors, but try to get books that are
attractively presented, edited properly and with the sources and classification
of the ahaadeeth properly given. You can make the most of Islamic bookstores and
exhibitions to build a home library, after consulting and seeking advice from
those who have experience in the field of books. One way in which you can help
family members to find a book when they want it is to organize the books
according to subject, with books of Tafseer on one shelf, books of hadeeth on
another, fiqh on a third, and so on. One of the family members could also
compile alphabetical or subject indexes of the library, to make it easier to
look for books.
Many of those who want to start a home library
may ask for titles of Islamic books. Here are a few suggestions:
Tafseer Ibn Sa’di
by Ibn al-Qayyim
by Ibn ‘Uthaymeen
Lamahaat fi ‘Uloom al-Qur’aan
by Muhammad al-Sabbaagh
Saheeh al-Kalim al-Tayyib
‘Aml al-Muslim fi’l-Yawm wa’l-Laylah
(or: Al-Saheeh al-Musnad min Adhkaar al-Yawm wa’l-Laylah)
and its commentary Nuzhat al-Muttaqeen
Mukhtasar Saheeh al-Bukhaari
Mukhtasar Saheeh Muslim
by al-Mundhiri and al-Albaani
Saheeh al-Jaami’ al-Sagheer
Da’eef al-Jaami’ al-Sagheer
Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb
Al-Sunnah wa Makaanatuhaa fi’l-Tashree’
Qawaa’id wa fawaa’id min al-Arba’een
al-Nawawiyyah by Naazim Sultaan
Fath al-Majeed Sharh Kitaab al-Tawheed
(edited by al-Arnaa’oot)
A’laam al-Sunnah al-Manshoorah
by al-Hakami (ed.)
Sharh al-‘Aqeedah al-Tahhaawiyyah,
edited by al-Albaani
The series on ‘Aqeedah by Umar Sulaymaan
al-Ashqar in 8 parts
by Dr. Yoosuf al-Waabil
by Ibn Duwiyyaan
by Ibn Qudaamah
[also available in English translation]
by Saalih al-Fawzaan
Collections of fatwas by different scholars (‘Abd
al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz, Muhammad Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen, ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Jibreen)
Sifat Salaah al-Nabi (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) by Shaykh
al-Albaani and Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz [available in English under the
title The Prophet’s Prayer Described]
Mukhtasar Ahkaam al-Janaa’iz
Good manners and purification of the soul:
Tahdheeb Madaarij al-Saalikeen
Tareeq al-Hijratayn wa Baab al-Sa’aadatayn
Raafi’ al-Kalim al-Tayyib
by Ibn al-Qayyim
by Ibn Rajab
Tahdheeb Maw’izat al-Mu’mineen
Seerah and biographies
by Ibn Katheer
Mukhtasar al-Shamaa’il al-Muhammadiyyah
by al-Tirmidhi, abridged by al-Albaani
by al-Mubaarakpoori [available in English translation]
Al-‘Awaasim min al-Qawaasim
by Ibn al-‘Arabi, ed. by al-Khateeb and al-Istanbooli
(2 vols.) by Shaykh Akram al-‘Umari [available in English under the title
Madinan Society at the Time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
Siyar A’lam al-Nubala’
Minhaj Kitaabat al-Taareekh al-Islaami
by Muhammad ibn Saamil al-Salami
There are many other good books on various
topics, such as those by:
Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhaab
Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Naasir al-Sa’di
Shaykh ‘Umar Sulaymaan ibn Ashqar
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Ismaa’eel
Prof. Muhammad Muhammad Husayn
Shaykh Muhammad Jameel Zayno
Prof. Husayn al-‘Awayishah’s books on
al-Raqaa’iq (topics to soften the heart and strengthen eemaan)
by Muhammad Na’eem Yaaseen
by Shaykh Muhammad Sa’eed al-Qahtaani [available in English translation]
Al-Inhiraafaat al-‘Aqdiyyah fi’l-Qarnayn
al-Thaani ‘Ashara wa’l-Thaalith ‘Ashara
by ‘Ali ibn Bukhayt al-Zahraani
Al-Muslimoon wa Zaahirat al-Hazeemah
al-Nafsiyyah by ‘Abd-Allaah
Al-Mar’ah bayn al-Fiqh wa’l-Qaanoon
by Mustafa al-Sibaa’i
Al-Usrah al-Muslimah amaam al-video
wa’l-tilifiziyon by Marwaan Kijik
Al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah I’daadaatuhaa wa
mas’ooliyaatuhaa by Ahmad Abu Bateen
Mas’ooliyat al-Abb al-Muslim fi Tarbiyat
Waladihi by ‘Adnaan Baahaarith
by Ahmad al-Baaraazi
Wa Jaa’a Dawr al-Maajoos
by ‘Abd-Allaah Muhammad al-Ghareeb
Books by Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd
Abhaath al-Shaykh Mashoor
There are many other useful, good books – what we
have mentioned is only by way of example, and is by no means a complete list.
There are also many useful pamphlets and booklets, but it would take too long to
list everything. The Muslim should consult others and think hard. Whomever
Allaah wishes good for, He helps him to understand His religion.
(10)Home audio library
Having a cassette player in every home may be
used for good or for evil. How can we use it in a manner that is pleasing to
One of the ways in which we can achieve this is
to have a home audio library containing good Islamic tapes by scholars, fuqaha’,
lecturers, khateebs and preachers.
Listening to tapes of Qur’aan recitation by some
Imaams, for example those recorded during Taraaweeh prayers, will have a great
impact on family members, whether by impressing upon them the meanings of the
Revelation, or by helping them to memorize Qur’aan because of repeated
listening. It will also protect them by letting them hear Qur’aanic recitation
rather than the music and singing of the Shaytaan, because it is not right for
the words of al-Rahmaan (Allaah) to be mixed with the music of the Shaytaan in
the heart of the believer.
Tapes of fatwas may have a great effect on family
members and help them to understand various rulings, which will have an impact
on their daily lives. We suggest listening to tapes of fatwas given by scholars
such as Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz, Shaykh Muhammad Naasir al-Deen
al-Albaani, Shaykh Muhammad al-‘Uthaymeen, Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan, and other
Muslims must also pay attention to the sources
from which they take fatwas, because this is the matter of religion, so look to
where you take your religion from. You should take it from someone who is known
to be righteous and pious, who bases his fatwas on sound ahaadeeth, who is not
fanatical in his adherence to a madhhab, who follows sound evidence and adheres
to a middle path without being either extreme or too lenient. Ask an expert.
“… Allaah, Most Gracious: ask, then about Him of any acquainted (with such
things).” [al-Furqaan 25:59 – interpretation of the meaning – Yusuf Ali’s
Listening to lectures by those who are striving
to raise the awareness of the ummah, establish proof and denounce evil, is very
important for establishing individual personalities in the Muslim home.
There are many tapes and lectures, and the Muslim
needs to know the features of the sound methodology so as to distinguish sound
lecturers from others and look for their tapes, which they can listen to with
confidence. Among these features are:
The lecturer should be a believer in the ‘aqeedah
of the Saved Group, Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah, adhering to the Sunnah and
firmly rejecting bid’ah. The speaker should be moderate, neither extremist nor
He should base his talks on sound ahaadeeth, and
beware of weak and fabricated ahaadeeth.
He should have insight into people’s situations
and the realities of the ummah, and should offer the appropriate remedy for any
problem, giving the people what they need.
He should speak the truth as much as he can, and
not utter falsehood or please the people by angering Allaah.
We often find that tapes for children have a
great influence on them, whether by helping them to memorize Qur’aan by
listening to a young reader, or du’aa’s to be recited at various times of day
and night, or Islamic manners, or nasheeds (religious “songs” with no
instrumental accompaniment) with a useful message, and so on.
Putting tapes in drawers in an organized fashion
will make it easier to find them, and will also protect them from getting
damaged or from being played with by young children. We should distribute good
tapes by giving or lending them to others after listening to them. Having a
recorder in the kitchen will be very useful for the lady of the house, and
having a recorder in the bedroom will help a person make good use of time until
the last moments of the day.
(11) Inviting good and righteous people and
seekers of knowledge to visit the home.
“My Lord! Forgive me, and my parents, and him
who enters my home as a believer, and all the believing men and women…” [Nooh
71:28 – interpretation of the meaning].
If people of faith enter your home, it will
increase in light (noor), and will bring many benefits because of your
conversations and discussion with them. The bearer of musk will either give you
some, or you will buy from him, or you will find that he has a pleasant scent.
When children, brothers and parents sit with such visitors, and women listen
from behind a curtain or screen to what is said, this offers an educational
experience to all. If you bring good people into your home, by doing so you keep
bad people from coming in a wreaking havoc.
(12) Learning the Islamic rulings with regard
Praying in the house
With regard to men, the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The best of prayer is a man’s prayer in
his house – apart from the prescribed prayers.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari,
al-Fath, no. 731).
It is obligatory to pray (the five daily prayers)
in the mosque, except if there is a valid excuse. The Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) also said: “A man’s voluntary prayers in
his house will bring more reward than his voluntary prayers at other people’s
places, just as his obligatory prayers with the people are better than his
obligatory prayers alone.” (Reported by Ibn Abi Shaybah. Saheeh
With regard to women, the deeper inside her home
her place of prayer is, the better, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “The best prayer for women is [that offered] in the
furthest part of their houses.” (Reported by al-Tabaraani. Saheeh
A man should not be led in prayer in his own
home, and no one should sit in the place where the master of the house usually
sits, except with his permission. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: “A man should not be led in prayer in his place of
authority, and no one should sit in his place in his house, except with his
permission.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, no. 2772).
I.e., no one should go forward to lead him in prayer, even if they recite
Qur’aan better than he does, in a place that he owns or where he has authority,
such as a householder in his home, or an imaam in a mosque. Similarly, it is not
permitted to sit in the private spot of the head of the master of the house,
such as a bed or mattress, etc., except with his permission.
Seeking permission to enter.
“O you who believe! Enter not houses other
than your own, until you have asked permission and greeted those in them, that
is better for you, in order that you may remember. And if you find no one
therein, still, enter not until permission has been given. And if you are asked
to go back, go back, for it is purer for you. And Allaah is All-Knower of what
you do.” [al-Noor 24:27-28 – interpretation of the meaning].
“… so enter houses through their proper
doors…” [al-Baqarah 2:189 – interpretation of the meaning].
It is permissible to enter houses that are empty
if one has some legitimate business there, such as a house prepared for guests.
“There is no sin on you that you enter (without taking permission) houses
uninhabited (i.e., not possessed by anybody), (when) you have any interest in
them. And Allaah has knowledge of what you reveal and what you conceal.”
[al-Noor 24:29 – interpretation of the meaning].
Not feeling too shy to eat in the houses of
friends and relatives, and in houses of friends and relatives and others to
which one has the keys, if they have no objection to that. “There is no
restriction on the blind, nor any restriction on the lame, nor any restriction
on the sick, nor on yourselves, if you eat from your houses, or the houses of
your fathers, or the houses of your mothers, or the houses of your brothers, or
the houses of your sisters, or the houses of your father’s brothers, or the
houses of your father’s sisters, or the houses of your mother’s brothers, or the
houses of your mother’s sisters, or (from that) whereof you hold keys, or (from
the house) of a friend. No sin on you whether you eat together or apart…”
Telling children and servants not to barge in to
the parents’ bedroom without permission at the times when people usually sleep,
i.e., before Fajr, at siesta time and after ‘Isha’, lest they see something
inappropriate. If they see something accidentally at other times, this is
forgivable, because they are tawwaafeen (those who go about in the house)
and it is difficult to stop them. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O you who believe! Let your legal slaves and slave-girls, and those among
you who have not come to the age of puberty ask your permission (before they
come to your presence) on three occasions: before Fajr prayer, and while you put
off your clothes for the noonday (rest), and after the ‘Isha prayer. (These)
three times are of privacy for you; other than these times there is no sin on
you or on them to move about, - attending (helping) you each other. Thus Allaah
makes clear the aayaat (verses of this Qur’aan, showing proofs for the legal
aspects of permission for visits, etc.) to you. And Allaah is All-Knowing,
All-Wise.” [al-Noor 24:57].
It is forbidden to look into the houses of other
people without their permission. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever looks into someone’s house without their
permission, put his eyes out, and there is no diyah or qisaas [blood money or
retaliation] in this case.” (Reported by Ahmad, al-Musnad, 2/385;
Saheeh al-Jaami, 6046).
A woman who has been divorced by talaaq for a
first or second time [and could still go back to her husband] should not leave
or be made to leave her home during the ‘iddah, and she should still be
supported financially. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “O
Prophet! When you divorce women, divorce them at their ‘iddah (prescribed
periods), and count (accurately) their ‘iddah (periods). And fear Allaah your
Lord (O Muslims), and turn them not out of their (husband’s) homes, nor shall
they (themselves) leave, except in case they are guilty of some open illegal
sexual intercourse. And those are the set limits of Allaah. And whoever
transgresses the set limits of Allaah, then indeed he has wronged himself. You
(the one who divorces his wife) know not, it may be that Allaah will afterward
bring some new thing to pass (i.e., to return her back to you, if this as the
first or second divorce).” [al-Talaaq 65:1]
It is permissible for a man to forsake his
rebellious wife inside or outside the home, according to the interests
prescribed by sharee’ah in any given case. The evidence for forsaking her inside
the home is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “… refuse to share
their beds…” [al-Nisa’ 4:34]. With regard to forsaking women outside the
home, this is what happened when the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) forsook his wives, leaving them in their apartments and
staying in a room outside the houses of his wives. (Reported by
al-Bukhaari, Kitaab al-Talaaq, Baab fi’l-Eelaa’).
One should not stay alone overnight in the house.
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade being alone and said that a man should
not stay overnight alone or travel alone. (Reported by Ahmad in
al-Musnad, 2/91). This is because of the
feelings of loneliness etc., that come from being alone, and also because of the
possibility of attacks by enemies or robbers, or the possibility of sickness. If
one has a companion, he can help fight off attacks, and can help if one gets
sick. (See al-Fath al-Rabbaani, 5/64).
Not sleeping on the roof of a house that has no
protecting wall, lest one fall. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever sleeps on the roof of a house that has no
protecting wall, nobody is responsible for what happens to him.”
(Reported by Abu Dawood, al-Sunan, no. 5041; Saheeh al-Jaami,
6113; its commentary is in ‘Awn al-Ma’bood, 13/384).
This is because one who is asleep may roll over
in his sleep, and if there is no wall he may fall off the roof and be killed. In
such a case, nobody would be to blame for his death; or his negligence would
cause Allaah to lift His protection from him, because he did not take the
necessary precautions. The hadeeth may mean either.
Pet cats do not make vessels naajis (impure) if
they drink from them, or make food naajis if they eat from it. ‘Abd-Allaah ibn
Abi Qutaadah reported from his father that water was put out for him to make
wudoo’, and a cat came and lapped at the water. He took the water and did wudoo’
with it, and they said, “O Abu Qutaadah! The cat drank from it.” He said, I
heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say:
‘Cats are part of the household, and they are among those who go around in your
houses.’” (Reported by Ahmad in al-Musnad, 5/309; Saheeh
al-Jaami’, 3694). According to another report
he said: “They [cats] are not naajis; they are among those who go around
[al-tawwaafeen wa’l-tawwaafaat – refers to children, servants, etc.] in your
houses.” (Reported by Ahmad in al-Musnad, 5/309; Saheeh
(13) Creating opportunities for meetings to
discuss family matters.
“… and who (conduct) their affairs by mutual
consultation…” [al-Shoora 42:38 – interpretation of the meaning].
This is a time when the family members can sit together in a suitable place to
talk about issues within and without the family that affect them. This is a sign
of strong ties, interaction and cooperation within the family. No doubt the man
is the one whom Allaah has appointed to be in charge of his “flock’s” affairs
and he is primarily responsible and is the decision maker, but giving room to
others to contribute – especially when the children get older – is good training
for them to learn to bear responsibility, as well as giving everyone the
confidence of knowing that his or her opinion is valued when they are asked to
express their points of view. Examples of this are discussions concerning going
for Hajj or for ‘Umrah during Ramadaan, and other trips, travelling to visit
relatives and uphold family ties, or for vacations; organizing wedding parties
and ‘aqeeqahs for newborns; moving from one home to another; and charitable
projects such as finding out about the poor people in one's neighbourhood so the
family can offer help or send food to them. Families can also discuss problems
faced by themselves or by relatives, and talk about how to solve them, and so
on… It is worth pointing out here that there is another important kind of family
meeting, which is holding frank discussions between parents and children. Some
of the problems of adolescence can only by solved by one-on-one conversations
between parents and children, where a father talks, calmly and quietly, with his
son about matters that have to do with the problems of youth and the Islamic
rulings pertaining to adolescence, and a mother talks to her daughter and tells
her what she needs to know about Islamic rulings and helps her to solve the
problems that she may face at this age. The father or mother may open the
discussion with words such as “When I was your age…” This will have a great
effect in making what they say acceptable to the youngster. Lack of such frank
discussions will force the children to talk to bad companions, which leads to so
many other evils.
(14) Not showing family conflicts in front
of the children.
It is rare for people to live together under one
roof without any arguments, but reconciliation is better and correcting oneself
is a virtue. What shakes the unity of the family and harms its infrastructure is
when conflicts are brought out into the open before the members of the family,
who then split into two or more opposing camps, not to mention the psychological
harm that is done to children, especially little ones. Think about a home where
the father says to the child, “Do not speak to your mother,” and the mother says
to him, “Do not speak to your father.” The child is confused and filled with
turmoil, and the entire family lives in an atmosphere of hostility. We should
try to avoid conflict, but if it happens, we should try to hide it. We ask
Allaah to create love between our hearts.
(15) Not letting into the house anyone
whose commitment to Islam is not pleasing to you.
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “The likeness of a bad companion is like the one who
works the bellows” (from a report narrated by Abu Dawood, 4829).
According to a report narrated by al-Bukhaari, he said, “the one who works the
bellows will burn your house or your clothes, or you will smell a bad odour from
him.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, 4/323).
Indeed, he will burn your home with all kinds of corruption and evil. How often
has the entry of corrupt and suspicious people into a home been the cause of
enmity among the family members, or of division between husband and wife. Allaah
curses the one who turns a wife against her husband, or a husband against his
wife, or causes enmity between a father and his children. This is how sihr
(magic, witchcraft) is brought into people’s homes, why things are sometimes
stolen, and why so often morals are corrupted: it is because a person whose
commitment to Islam is no good is admitted into the home. We must not let such
people in, even if they are neighbours, men or women, and even if they appear to
be friendly. Some people keep quiet out of embarrassment, and if they see such a
person at the door, they let him in, even though they know this is one of the
corrupt people. In this matter, women bear a great deal of responsibility. The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “O people,
which day is most sacred? Which day is most sacred? Which day is most sacred?”
They said, “The greatest day of Hajj.” Then he (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said in his Friday khutbah on that day: “Your rights over your women
are that they should not allow anyone to sit on your beds whom you dislike, or
allow anyone into your homes whom you dislike.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi,
1163, and other from ‘Amr ibn al-Ahwas; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 7880).
Muslim women, you should not feel upset if your
husband or father does not let one of the female neighbours into the house
because he sees that she is trying to cause trouble. Be smart and be strong if
someone tries to make comparisons between her husband and yours, lest that
pushes you to demand things from your husband that he cannot afford. It is also
your obligation to advise your husband if you notice that he has close friends
who are making evil appear attractive to him.
§ Advice to men: try to be
at home as much as you can, because the guardian’s presence at home keeps things
under control and enables him to supervise the upbringing of the family and to
put things right by watching and following up. For some people, the basic thing
is to be always outside of the home, and only if they cannot find some place to
go do they come home. This is wrong. If a man is constantly going out for
purposes of worship, he must still strike a balance; if he is going out for the
purposes of sin and wasting time, or because he is too busy with matters of this
world, he must reduce his work and business commitments, and put an end to idle
meetings. And how evil are those people who neglect their families and stay in
nightclubs…! We do not want to fall in with the plans of the enemies of Allaah;
we can learn a lot from the following paragraph of the minutes of the French
Eastern Masonic lodge held in 1923:
“ For the purpose of separating the individual from his family, you must
eliminate morals at their root, because people are inclined to cut off their
family ties and do things that are forbidden, they prefer to chat idly in cafés
rather than carry out their duties towards their families.”
(16) Taking careful note of what family
members are up to.
Who are your children’s friends?
Have you met them before?
What do your children bring home from outside?
Where does your daughter go, and with whom?
Some parents do not know that their children have
in their possession bad pictures, pornographic movies and even drugs. Some of
them do not know that their daughter goes with the (female) servant to the
market, then asks the servant to wait with the driver whilst she goes to her
appointment or “date” with one of the shayaateen (devils), or to smoke and mess
about with her bad friends. Those who neglect their children will not be let off
on that terrible Day, nor will they be able to flee from the horrors of the Day
of Reckoning. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“Allaah will ask every shepherd (or responsible person) about his flock (those
for whom he was responsible), whether he took care of it or neglected it, until
He asks a man about his household.” (Hasan. Reported by al-Nisaa'i, 292,
and Ibn Hibbaan from Anas; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1775; al-Silsilat
There are some important points to note here:
This supervision must be subtle.
There should be no terrorizing atmosphere
The child must not be made to feel that he or she
is not trusted.
Advice and/or punishments must be measured
against the ages of the children, their levels of understand and the extent of
the wrongful behaviour.
Beware of negative methods of checking on
children and making them feel that their every move is being watched. I have
been told of a person who has a computer in which he records every mistake his
children make in detail. If one of his children does something wrong, he sends
him a memo requesting his presence, then he opens the child’s file in the
computer and tells him all his previous mistakes, as well as the current
Note: we are not talking about a company here.
The father is not the angel whose job it is to write down bad deeds. This father
needs to read more about the principles of Islamic upbringing and education.
I also know of people at the other extreme, who
refuse to get involved in their children’s affairs at all, claiming that the
child will not be convinced that a mistake is a mistake or a sin is a sin unless
he does it and then finds out for himself that it is a mistake. This deviant
idea comes from being weaned on ideas of western philosophy and notions of
absolute freedom. Some of them give their child free rein, fearing that the
child may start to hate them, saying “I will earn his love whatever he does.”
Some of them give the child free rein as a reaction to their own over-strict
upbringings, thinking that they have to do the absolute opposite with their own
children. Some of them take this stupid attitude to extremes by saying, “Let our
sons and daughters enjoy their youth as they wish.” Do these people not think
that their children might pull on their clothes on the Day of Resurrection and
say, “O my father, why did you leave me in sin?”
(17) Paying attention to children at home.
Teaching them to memorize Qur’aan and Islamic
stories. There is nothing more beautiful than a father and his children coming
together to read Qur’aan, with a simple commentary, offering rewards for
memorizing passages. Young children have memorized Soorat al-Kahf from hearing
it recited repeatedly by their fathers every Friday. You can teach children the
basics of Islamic ‘aqeedah, for example as mentioned in the hadeeth, “Heed
Allaah’s commandments and He will protect you.” You can teach children good
manners and the adhkaar prescribed by Islam, for example for eating, sleeping,
sneezing, greeting, asking permission to enter.
There is nothing more attractive or effective for
children than telling them Islamic stories, such as the story of Nooh (peace be
upon him) and the Flood; the story of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him), and how he
broke the idols and was thrown into the fire; the story of Moosa (peace be upon
him) being saved from Pharaoh, who was drowned; the story of Yoonus (peace be
upon him) in the belly of the whale; the story of Yoosuf (peace be upon him) in
brief; the biography of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him),
such as the beginning of his mission and his hijrah; some of the Islamic battles
such as Badr and al-Khandaq; other stories from the Prophet’s life such as the
story of the man and the camel which he did not feed properly but abused it by
making it work too hard; stories of righteous people, such as the story of ‘Umar
ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) and the woman and her hungry
children in the tent; the story of the people of al-Ukhdood (the ditch); the
story of the people of the garden in Soorat al-Qalam , and the three
companions of the cave. There are many good stories which you can tell in a
brief and simple manner, with a few comments. These are better for us and we
have no need of the many stories that go against ‘aqeedah, or frightening myths
that distort children’s concept of reality and make them cowardly and afraid.
Beware of letting your children go out with just
anybody, lest they come back home uttering bad words and behaving badly. Be
selective when choosing children of relatives and neighbours to invite to come
and play with your children at home.
Make sure that your children’s play is both
entertaining and purposeful. Give them a special playroom, or at least a
cupboard for their toys, where they can keep their toys tidy. Avoid toys that go
against sharee’ah, like musical instruments, or toys that have crosses or them,
or games containing dice.
It is also a good idea to make a corner where
children can practice hobbies such as carpentry, electronics and mechanics, or
play some permissible computer games. With regard to the latter, we should be
alert to the fact that some computer games show the worst types of pictures of
women on the screen, and other games have crosses in them; one person has even
told me that there is a game that involves gambling against the computer – the
player chooses one of four girls whose pictures appear on the screen to
represent the other player, and if he wins, his prize is to see the worst kind
of picture of the girl.
Separating boys and girls in their beds or
sleeping arrangements. This is one of the things that distinguish those who are
committed to their religion from those who do not care.
Joking and showing affection. The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to play with children
and pat their heads; he would speak to them in a kind and gentle manner, giving
the littlest one the first fruit, and even letting them ride on his back
sometimes. There follow two examples of how he (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) played with al-Hasan and al-Husayn:
Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to stick his tongue out
at Hasan ibn ‘Ali, and the child would see the redness of his tongue, and would
like it and come running to him.” (Reported by Abu’l-Shaykh in Akhlaaq
al-Nabi (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wa Aadaabuhu; see
al-Silsilat al-Saheehah, no. 70). Ya’laa ibn
Murrah said: “We went out with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) and we were called to eat, when we saw Husayn playing in the street.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) rushed ahead of the
people, holding out his arms, and the child was running hither and thither; the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was laughing with him until
he caught him, then he put one of the child’s hands under his chin and other
other on top of his head, and kissed him.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari in
al-Adab al-Mufrad, no. 364; Saheeh Ibn Maajah, 1/29).
(18) Being strict in adhering to a schedule
for meals and bedtime.
Some houses are like hotels where the people who
live there hardly know one another and hardly ever meet.
Some children eat whenever they want and sleep
whenever they want, which leads to them staying up late and wasting their time,
or eating on a full stomach. This chaos leads to a weakening of family ties and
a waste of time and energy, and exacerbates the lack of discipline among family
members. You could excuse those who have legitimate reasons, because students,
male and female, may have different times of leaving schools and universities,
and those who are employed or who run stores do not have the same work
schedules, but still there is nothing nicer than a family gathering together at
the table and making the most of this opportunity to ask how everyone is and to
discuss useful topics. The head of the household has to be strict in setting a
time for everyone to be back home, and in insisting that everyone asks
permission before going out, especially those who are young, whether in terms of
chronological age or mental age, as it were, for whom one might have fears.
(19) Re-evaluating women’s work outside the
The laws of Islam complement one another. When
Allaah commanded women to “…stay in your houses…” [al-Ahzaab 33:33 –
interpretation of the meaning], He also decreed that men, their fathers and
husbands, etc., should be obliged to spend on them.
The basic principle is that women should not work
outside the home unless they have to. When Moosa (peace be upon him) saw the two
daughters of the righteous man keeping back their flocks and waiting to water
them, he asked them: “… ‘What is the matter with you?’ They said, ‘We cannot
water (our flocks) until the shepherds take (their flocks), and our father is a
very old man.’” [al-Qasas 28:23 – interpretation of the meaning]. They were
apologetic about the fact that they had come out to water their flocks, because
the guardian [their father] was unable to do so due to old age. So they were
keen to do away with the need to work outside the home as soon as the
opportunity arose: “And said one of them (the two women): ‘O my father! Hire
him! Verily the best of men for you to hire is the strong, the trustworthy.’”
[al-Qasas 28:26 – interpretation of the meaning].
This woman made clear her desire to go back to
staying at home to protect herself from the vulgarity to which she could be
exposed if she worked outside the home.
In modern times, when the kuffaar needed women’s
labour after the two world wars, to make up for the resulting lack of men in the
workforce, and there was a critical need to rebuild their economies, this
coincided with the Jewish plots to “liberate” women and advocate their rights
with the aim of corrupting them and consequently corrupting society as a whole.
Thus the idea of women going out to work was established.
In spite of the fact that the same motives were
not present in our lands, and that Muslim men protect their womenfolk and spend
on them, the women’s liberation movement developed in the Muslim world too, and
even reached such an extent that women are sent abroad to study, then are
expected to work so that these degrees will not go to waste. The Muslim
societies are not in need of such a thing on such a grand scale as is the case,
and one of the signs of this is the fact that there are men who are without work
whilst fields are still being opened up to women.
When we say “not on such a grand scale”, we mean
that there is a need for women to work in some fields, such as teaching, nursing
and medicine, within the conditions set out by sharee’ah, and when there is a
need for them to do so. But we started by saying that there is no great need,
because of the fact that we notice some women going out to work when there is no
need, and sometimes they work for very low wages, because they feel that they
have to go out to work even when there is no need to do so, or they work in
places that are not suitable, which leads to much fitnah and trouble.
One of the main differences between the Islamic
view on women’s work and the secular view is that the basic principle in Islam
is to “…stay in your houses…” [al-Ahzaab 33:33 – interpretation of the
meaning], although women may go out when they need to – “And permission has
been given to you to go out for your needs” (hadeeth). The secular principle, on
the other hand, is to go out no matter what the circumstances.
To be fair, we should say that there may indeed
be a need for women to work, such as a woman who is the breadwinner for her
family after her husband has died or her father has become too old to work, and
so on. Indeed, in some societies which are not based on Islamic principles, a
woman may find herself forced to work to help her husband cover the living
expenses of the family. A man may not propose to a woman unless she is working,
and some men may even make it a condition of the marriage contract that the wife
In conclusion: a woman may work if she needs to
or for some Islamic purpose, such as calling others to Allaah in the field of
teaching, or to make use of her time, as some women do who do not have
With regard to the negative aspects of women
working outside the home, these include:
§ What often happens of
things that are forbidden in Islam, such as mixing with men, getting to know
them and being alone with them, wearing perfume for them and starting to show
one's adornment to strangers (non-mahrem men), which can ultimately lead to
§ Not giving the husband
his rights, neglecting the house, not giving the children their proper rights.
(This is our basic point here).
§ Undermining the feeling
in some women’s minds that the husband is the qawwaam (protector and
maintainer). Let us take the case of a woman whose qualifications are equal to
those of her husband, or even higher (although there is nothing wrong with that
in and of itself), and who works and earns more than he does. Will she feel the
proper need towards her husband and obey him properly, or will she feel that she
is independent of him, which could rock the household on its foundations, unless
Allaah wills good for her? These arguments about spending on the working wife
and how much she should spend on the family may never end.
§ Physical exhaustion and
psychological and nervous pressure which do not befit the nature of women.
Having briefly discussed the pros and cons of
women’s work, we conclude that we have to fear Allaah, and to weigh the matter
up according to sharee’ah, and to know the circumstances in which a woman is
permitted to go out to work, and when she is not. We should not be blinded by
worldly gains or allow them to distract us from the truth. This advice to women
is in their best interests and in the interests of the family. Husbands should
also stop thinking in terms of taking revenge and should not consume their
wife’s wealth unjustly.
(20) Confidentiality: keeping family
This includes a number of things, including:
Not disclosing intimate secrets.
Not disclosing marital conflicts.
Not disclosing any secrets the exposing of which
could cause harm to the family or to any of its members.
With regard to the first matter, the evidence
that this is haraam is the hadeeth: “One of the most evil of people in the sight
of Allaah on the Day of Resurrection will be a man who went in unto his wife and
she went in unto him, then he disclosed her secret.” (Reported by Muslim,
4/157). The meaning of going in unto one another
is that he approaches her and has intercourse with her, as in the aayah
(interpretation of the meaning): “… while you have gone in unto one another…”
Further evidence is to be seen in the hadeeth of
Asma’ bint Yazeed, who said that she was with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), when men and women were sitting with him, and
he said: “I think there are some men who talk about what they do with their
wives, and that there are some women who talk about what they do with their
husbands.” The people stayed silent. [Asma’] said: “Yes, by Allaah, O Messenger
of Allaah, [women] do that and [men] do that!” He said, “Do not do that, for it
is as if a male devil met a female devil in the street and had intercourse with
her whilst the people were watching.” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 6/457;
also reported in Aadaab al-Zafaaf by al-Albaani, p. 144).
According to a report narrated by Abu Dawood, he said: “Are there men among you
who when they have intercourse with their wives, they close their doors and
lower their curtains and ask Allaah to conceal them?” They said, “Yes.” He said,
“And then do they sit and say, ‘I did such and such, and I did such and such?’”
They kept silent. Then he turned to the women and said, “Are there any among you
talk [about intimate matters]?” and they kept silent. Then a young girl sat up
on one of her knees and craned her neck so that the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) could see her and hear her, and said, “O
Messenger of Allaah, indeed the men talk and the women talk.” He said, “Do you
know what that is like? It is like a female devil meeting a male devil in the
street and having intercourse with him whilst the people are watching.” (Sunan
Abi Dawood, 2/627; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 7037).
With regard to the second matter, which is
disclosing marital arguments outside the home, in many cases this only makes
matters worse. Involving outside parties in a marital conflict usually deepens
the split, and it reaches a stage where the couple will only communicate via
intermediaries when they should be the closest of all people to one another.
This should not be resorted to except in cases where they cannot resolve matter
face to face, in which case we should act in accordance with the aayah
(interpretation of the meaning): “… appoint (two) arbitrators, one from his
family and the other from hers; if they both wish for peace, Allaah will cause
their reconciliation…” [al-Nisa’ 4:35].
With regard to the third matter, which is harming
the family or one of its members – by spreading their secrets – this is not
permissible, because it is covered by the words of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him): “There should be neither harming nor
reciprocating harm.” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 1/313; al-Silsilat
al-Saheehah, no. 250). An example of this was
narrated in the Tafseer of the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “Allaah
sets forth an example for those who disbelieve, the wife of Nooh and the wife of
Loot. They were under two of our righteous slaves, but they both betrayed their
[husbands]…” [al-Tahreem 66:10]. Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him)
reported the following in his tafseer of this aayah:
“The wife of Nooh used to know about his secrets,
and whenever anyone believed in him, she would tell the oppressors among the
people of Nooh about it. As for the wife of Loot, whenever Loot welcomed anyone
as a guest, she would tell the people of the city who used to do evil things”
(Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 8/198), i.e.,
to come and do immoral things to them.
manners at home
(21) Spreading kindness in the home.
‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said:
“The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘When
Allaah – may He be glorified – wills some good towards the people of a
household, He introduces kindness among them.’” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad
in al-Musnad, 6/71; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 303).
According to another report: “When Allaah loves
the people of a household, He introduces kindness among them.” (Reported
by Ibn Abi al-Dunya and others; Saheeh al-Jaami’, no. 1704).
In other words, they start to be kind to one another. This is one of the means
of attaining happiness in the home, for kindness is very beneficial between the
spouses, and with the children, and brings results that cannot be achieved
through harshness, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: “Allaah loves kindness and rewards it in such a way that He does not
reward for harshness or for anything else.” (Reported by Muslim,
Kitaab al-Birr wa’l-Sillah wa’l-Aadaab, no. 2592).
(22) Helping one’s wife with the housework.
Many men think that housework is beneath them,
and some of them think that it will undermine their status and position if they
help their wives with this work.
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him), however, used to “sew his own clothes, mend his own shoes
and do whatever other work men do in their homes.” (Reported by Imaam
Ahmad in al-Musnad, 6/121; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 4927).
This was said by his wife ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah
be pleased with her), when she was asked about what the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to do in his house; her
response described what she herself had seen. According to another report, she
said: “He was like any other human being: he would clean his clothes, milk his
ewe and serve himself.” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad in al-Musnad,
6/256; al-Silsilat al-Saheehah, 671). She
(may Allaah be pleased with her) was also asked about what the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to do in his house, and
she said, “He used to serve his family, then when the time for prayer came, he
would go out to pray.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, 2/162).
If we were to do likewise nowadays, we would
achieve three things:
We would be following the example of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
We would be helping our wives
We would feel more humble, not arrogant.
Some men demand food instantly from their wives,
when the pot is on the stove and the baby is screaming to be fed; they do not
pick up the child or wait a little while for the food. Let these ahaadeeth be a
reminder and a lesson.
(23) Being affectionate towards and joking
with the members of the family.
Showing affection towards one’s wife and children
is one of the things that lead to creating an atmosphere of happiness and
friendliness in the home. Thus the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) advised Jaabir to marry a virgin, saying, “Why did you not
marry a virgin, so you could play with her and she could play with you, and you
could make her laugh and she could make you laugh?” (The hadeeth is
reported in a number of places in the Saheehayn, such as al-Bukhaari,
al-Fath, 9/121). The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) also said: “Everything in which Allaah’s name
is not mentioned is idleness and play, except for four things: a man playing
with his wife…” (Reported by al-Nisaa'i in ‘Ushrat al-Nisa’, p.
87; also in Saheeh al-Jaami’). The Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to treat his wife ‘Aa’ishah
affectionately when doing ghusl with her, as she (may Allaah be pleased with
her) said: “The Messenger of Allaah and I used to do ghusl together from one
vessel, and he would pretend to take all the water so that I would say, ‘Leave
some for me, leave some for me,’” – and both of them were in a state of janaabah
(impurity). (Muslim bi Sharh al-Nawawi, 4/6).
The ways in which the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) showed affection towards young children are too
famous to need mentioning. He often used to show his affection towards Hasan and
Husayn, as mentioned above. This is probably one of the reason why the children
used to rejoice when he came back from travelling; they would rush to welcome
him, as reported in the saheeh hadeeth: “Whenever he came back from a journey,
the children of his household would be taken out to meet him.” He (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to hug them close to him, as ‘Abd-Allaah
ibn Ja;far said: “Whenever the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) came back from a journey, we would be taken out to meet him. One day we met
him, Hasan, Husayn and I. He carried one of us in front of him, and another on
his back, until we entered Madeenah.” (Saheeh Muslim, 4/1885-2772;
see the commentary in Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi, 8/56).
Compare this with the situation in some miserable
homes where there are no truthful jokes [i.e., jokes that do not involve lying],
no affection and no mercy. Whoever thinks that kissing his children goes against
the dignity of fatherhood should read the following hadeeth: from Abu Hurayrah
(may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) kissed al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali, and al-Aqra’ ibn
Haabis al-Tameemi was sitting with him. Al-Aqra’ said: ‘I have ten children and
I have never kissed any one of them.’ The Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) looked at him and said: ‘The one who does not
show mercy will not be shown mercy.’”
(24) Resisting bad manners in the home.
Every member of the household is bound to have
some bad characteristics, such as lying, backbiting, gossiping and so on. These
bad characteristics have to be resisted and opposed.
Some people think that corporal punishment is the
only way to deal with such things. The following hadeeth is very educational on
this topic: from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said: “If the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to know
that one of his household had told a lie, he would try to ignore him until he
repented.” (See al-Musnad by Imaam Ahmad, 6/152. The text of the
hadeeth is also in Saheeh al-Jaami’, no. 4675).
It is clear from the hadeeth that turning away
and forsaking a person by not speaking to them, rather than resorting to
punishment, is effective in such circumstances, and may be more effective than
physical punishment, so let parents and caregivers think about this.
(25) “Hang up the whip where the members of
the household can see it.”
(Reported by Abu Na’eem in al-Hilyah, 7/332; al-Silsilat
al-Saheehah, no. 1446).
Hinting at punishment is an effective means of
discipline, so the reason for hanging up a whip or stick in the house was
explained in another report, where the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “Hang up the whip where the members of the household can see it,
for this is more effective in disciplining them.” (Reported by
al-Tabaraani, 10/344-345; al-Silsilat al-Saheehah, no. 1447)
Seeing the means of punishment hanging up will
make those who have bad intentions refrain from indulging in bad behaviour, lest
they get a taste of the punishment. It will motivate them to behave themselves
and be good-mannered. Ibn al-Anbaari said: “There is nothing to suggest that it
should be used for hitting, because [the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him)] did not command anyone to do that. What he meant was: keep on
disciplining them.” (See Fayd al-Qadeer by al-Mannaawi, 4/325).
Hitting is not the way to discipline; it is not
to be resorted to, except when all other means are exhausted, or when it is
needed to force someone to do obligatory acts of obedience, as Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning): “… As to those women on whose part you fear
ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (next), refuse to share their beds, (and
last) beat them (lightly, if it is useful)…” [al-Nisa’ 4:34] – in that
order. There is also the hadeeth: “Order your children to pray when they are
seven years old, and hit them if they do not do so when they are ten.” (Sunan
Abi Dawood, 1/334; see also Irwa’ al-Ghaleel, 1/266).
As for hitting unnecessarily, this is aggression.
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) advised a
woman not to marry a man because he always had his stick on his shoulder, i.e.,
he used to beat his wives. On the other hand, there are those who think that
they should never use this method of discipline at all, following some kaafir
educational theories; this is also a mistaken opinion that goes against the
Evils in the home
Beware of non-mahrem relatives entering upon women when their husbands are
and women should sit separately during family visits.
aware of the dangers of having male drivers and female servants in the house.
Kick immoral people out of your houses.
Beware of the dangers of TV.
Beware of the evils of the telephone.
have to remove everything that contains symbols of the false religions of the
kuffaar or their gods and objects of worship.
Removing pictures of animate beings.
not allow smoking in your homes.
not keep dogs in your homes.
Avoid too much decoration in your homes (keep it simple).
The home inside and out
(37) Choosing a good location and design of
No doubt the true Muslim pays attention to the
choice and design of a home in ways that others do not.
With regard to location, for example:
The home should be close to a mosque. This has
obvious advantages: the call to prayer will remind people of prayer and wake
them up for it; living close to the mosque will enable men to join the
congregational prayers, women to listen to the Qur’aan recitation and dhikr over
the mosque’s loudspeakers, and children to join study-circles for memorization
of Qur’aan, and so on.
The home should not be in a building where there
are immoral people, or in a compound where kuffaar live and where there is a
mixed swimming pool and so on.
The house should not overlook others or be
overlooked; if it is, he should put up curtains and make walls and fences
With regard to design and lay out, for example:
He should pay attention to the matter of
segregating men and women when non-mahrams come to visit, e.g. separate
entrances and sitting areas. If that cannot be done, then use should be made of
curtains, screens and so on.
Covering windows, so that neighbours or people in
the street will not be able to see who is in the house, especially at night when
the lights are on.
The toilets should not be sited in such a way
that one faces the qiblah when using them.
Choosing a spacious house with plenty of
amenities. This is for a number of reasons:
“Allaah loves to see the signs of His blessings
on His slave.” (Hadeeth narrated by al-Tirmidhi, no. 2819. He said: This
is a hasan hadeeth).
“There are three elements of happiness and three
elements of misery. The elements of happiness are: a righteous wife, who when
you see her she pleases you, and when you are absent from her you feel that you
can trust her with regard to herself and your wealth; a compliant riding-beast
that helps you to keep up with your companions; and a house that is spacious and
has plenty of amenities. The elements of misery are: a wife who when you see her
you feel upset, she keeps attacking you verbally, and when you are absent from
her you do not feel that you can trust her with regard to herself and your
wealth; a stubborn riding-beast that if whip it, you get tired, and if you do
not whip it, it does not help you to keep up with your companions; and a house
with few amenities.” (Hadeeth narrated by al-Haakim, 3/262; Saheeh
al-Jaami’, no. 3056).
Paying attention to health-related matters such
as ventilation, natural light and so on. These matters depend on financial
ability and feasibility.
(38) Choosing the neighbour before the house.
This is a matter which has to be singled out for
discussion because of its importance.
Nowadays neighbours have more impact on one
another, because houses are closer together and people live together in
buildings, apartments and compounds.
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) told us of four causes of happiness, one of which is a
righteous neighbour, and four causes of misery, one of which is a bad neighbour.
(Reported by Abu Na’eem in al-Hilyah, 8/388; Saheeh al-Jaami’,
887). Because of the seriousness of the latter,
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to seek refuge with
Allaah from bad neighbours in his du’aa’: “Allaahumma innee a’oodhu bika min
jaar al-soo’ fi daar il-muqaamah fa inna jaar al-baadiyah yatahawwil (O
Allaah, I seek refuge with You from a bad neighbour in my permanent home, for
the neighbour in the desert [i.e. on a journey] moves on).” He commanded the
Muslims to seek refuge with Allaah from a bad neighbour in a permanent home
because the neighbour in the desert will eventually move on. (Reported by
al-Bukhaari in al-Adab al-Mufrad, no. 117; Saheeh al-Jaami’,
There is no room here to talk about the influence
a bad neighbour may have on a couple and their children, or the kinds of
nuisance he can cause, or the misery of living next to him. But applying these
ahaadeeth quoted above to one's own life should be sufficient for the one who is
possessed of understanding. Another practical solution is that implemented by
some good people who rent neighbouring homes for their families, so as to solve
the neighbour problem. This may be an expensive solution, but a good neighbour
(39) Paying attention to necessary repairs in
the home, and making sure that the amenities are in good working order.
Among the blessings of Allaah in this modern age
are the “mod cons” that He has bestowed upon us, which make many things easier
and save time, such as air-conditioners, fridges, washing-machines and so on. It
is wise to have the best quality of appliances that one can afford, without
being extravagant or putting oneself under financial strain. We should also be
careful to distinguish between useful extras and extravagant additions that have
no real value.
Part of caring for the home includes fixing
appliances and amenities that break down. Some people neglect these things, and
their wives complain about homes crawling with vermin, with overflowing drains
and piles of stinking garbage, filled with broken and worn out furniture.
No doubt this is one of the obstacles to
happiness in the home, and causes problems in the marriage and health problems.
The smart person is the one who hastens to fix these things.
(40) Paying attention to the family’s health
and safety procedures.
When any member of his family got sick, the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would blow on
them and recite al-Mi’wadhatayn (last two soorahs of the Qur’aan).
(Reported by Muslim, no. 2192).
When one of his family members got sick, he would
call for soup, and it would be made for him, then he would tell them to drink
it, and he would say, “It will strengthen the heart of the one who is grieving
and cleanse (heal) the heart of the one who is sick just as any one of you wipes
the dirt from her face.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, no. 2039; Saheeh
al-Jaami’, no. 4646).
One of the ways of taking safety precautions is:
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “When evening comes, keep your children inside, for
the shayaateen (devils) spread out at that time. Then when an hour of the night
has passed, let your children go, lock the doors and mention the name of Allaah,
cover your pots and mention the name of Allaah,even if you only place a stick
across the top of your vessel, and extinguish your lamps.”
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, 10/88-89).
According to a report narrated by Muslim, he
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Lock your doors, cover your
vessels, extinguish your lamps and tie your knots properly [i.e., cover your
jugs properly – in those days they would cover them with a piece of cloth and
tie it], for the Shaytaan does not open a door that is closed, or uncover
something that is covered, or untie a knot that you tie. And the mouse could set
the house on fire (i.e. it could pull out the wick of the lamp and set the house
on fire).” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad in al-Musnad, 3/103);
Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1080).
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “Do not leave fires lit in your houses when you go to sleep.”
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, 11/85).
And Allaah knows best. May Allaah bless our