79/11. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 6241 — Permission Protects Privacy
Asking permission because of looking
Asking Permission in Islam: Privacy Is Protected Because of Sight
Sahih Bukhari : 6241
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 6241
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ حَفِظْتُهُ كَمَا أَنَّكَ هَا هُنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ قَالَ اطَّلَعَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ جُحْرٍ فِي حُجَرِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَمَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِدْرًى يَحُكُّ بِهِ رَأْسَهُ فَقَالَ " لَوْ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ تَنْظُرُ لَطَعَنْتُ بِهِ فِي عَيْنِكَ، إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ الاِسْتِئْذَانُ مِنْ أَجْلِ الْبَصَرِ ".
Sahl bin Sa`d Narrated from:
A man peeped through a round hole into the dwelling place of the Prophet, while the Prophet (ﷺ) had a Midray (an iron comb) with which he was scratching his head. the Prophet (ﷺ) said, " Had known you were looking (through the hole), I would have pierced your eye with it (i.e., the comb)." Verily! The order of taking permission to enter has been enjoined because of that sight, (that one should not look unlawfully at the state of others). (See Hadith No. 807, Vol. 7)
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 6241In-book reference : Book 79, Hadith 15USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 8, Book 74, Hadith 258
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 6241
This Hadith teaches why asking permission before entering is required. A man looked through a round hole into the Prophet’s dwelling while the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had an iron comb and was scratching his head. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that if he had known the man was looking, he would have pierced his eye with it. He then explained the rule clearly: permission to enter was made because of sight. The Hadith about asking permission in Islam shows that privacy is not only about stepping inside a home. Looking into someone’s private space without permission is also wrong.
What we learn from this hadith
- Permission before entering protects people from unwanted looking.
- A person should not peep into someone’s private space.
- The reason for seeking permission is connected to sight.
- Privacy in the home is treated seriously in this Hadith.
