87/23. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 6901 — Permission Is Required Because of Sight
If somebody peeps into the house of some people
Hadith About Asking Permission Before Looking
Sahih Bukhari : 6901
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 6901
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، أَنَّ سَهْلَ بْنَ سَعْدٍ السَّاعِدِيَّ، أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ رَجُلاً اطَّلَعَ فِي جُحْرٍ فِي باب رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَمَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِدْرًى يَحُكُّ بِهِ رَأْسَهُ، فَلَمَّا رَآهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لَوْ أَعْلَمُ أَنْ تَنْتَظِرَنِي لَطَعَنْتُ بِهِ فِي عَيْنَيْكَ ". قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ الإِذْنُ مِنْ قِبَلِ الْبَصَرِ ".
Sahl bin Sa`d As-Sa`idi Narrated from:
A man peeped through a hole in the door of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)'s house, and at that time, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had a Midri (an iron comb or bar) with which he was rubbing his head. So when Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saw him, he said (to him), "If I had been sure that you were looking at me (through the door), I would have poked your eye with this (sharp iron bar)." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) added, "The asking for permission to enter has been enjoined so that one may not look unlawfully (at what there is in the house without the permission of its people)."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 6901In-book reference : Book 87, Hadith 40USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 9, Book 83, Hadith 38
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 6901
This Hadith about asking permission before entering gives the reason behind seeking permission. A man peeped through a hole in the Prophet’s door while the Prophet had a sharp iron comb or bar. When the Prophet saw him, he said that if he had been sure the man was looking, he would have poked his eye with it. Then he explained, “The asking for permission to enter has been enjoined so that one may not look unlawfully.” For readers searching hadith permission because of sight, the meaning is direct: permission protects privacy from the eye before a person enters. The Hadith teaches that the issue is not only entering a home, but also looking into it.
What we learn from this hadith
- Permission protects people from unlawful looking into private spaces.
- The Prophet linked seeking permission directly to sight.
- A door or hole should not be used to invade someone’s privacy.
- The Hadith teaches respect before entering or looking inside.
