42/16. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 2707 — Privacy and Permission in Islam
What Has Been Related About Seeking Permission To Enter From In Front Of The House
Hadith About Privacy and Seeking Permission
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 2707
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 2707
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ لَهِيعَةَ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْحُبُلِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ كَشَفَ سِتْرًا فَأَدْخَلَ بَصَرَهُ فِي الْبَيْتِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُؤْذَنَ لَهُ فَرَأَى عَوْرَةَ أَهْلِهِ فَقَدْ أَتَى حَدًّا لاَ يَحِلُّ لَهُ أَنْ يَأْتِيَهُ لَوْ أَنَّهُ حِينَ أَدْخَلَ بَصَرَهُ اسْتَقْبَلَهُ رَجُلٌ فَفَقَأَ عَيْنَيْهِ مَا غَيَّرْتُ عَلَيْهِ وَإِنْ مَرَّ رَجُلٌ عَلَى بَابٍ لاَ سِتْرَ لَهُ غَيْرِ مُغْلَقٍ فَنَظَرَ فَلاَ خَطِيئَةَ عَلَيْهِ إِنَّمَا الْخَطِيئَةُ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ " . وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ وَأَبِي أُمَامَةَ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ مِثْلَ هَذَا إِلاَّ مِنْ حَدِيثِ ابْنِ لَهِيعَةَ وَأَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْحُبُلِيُّ اسْمُهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يَزِيدَ .
Abu Dharr Narrated from:
The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Said: "Whoever Lifts The Curtain So That His Sight Enters The House Before He Was Given Permission, And He Seeks The Nakedness Of Its Inhabitants, Then He Has Done Something Punishable Which Was Not Lawful For Him To Do. If It Were That When He Gazed Into It, He Was Facing A Man Who Lanced His Eyes, There Would Be Nothing Wrong With Him Doing So. But If A Man Passes By A Door That Has No Cover Over It, And It Is Not Closed And He Looks, Then There Is No Sin On Him, The Sin Is Only On The Inhabitants Of The House."
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2707In-book reference : Book 42, Hadith 20English translation : Vol. 5, Book 40, Hadith 2707
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 2707
This hadith about privacy in Islam speaks strongly against looking into a home without permission. The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said that whoever lifts a curtain and lets his sight enter the house before being allowed has done something unlawful. The text also mentions that if the person inside reacted to that gaze, there would be nothing wrong with him in that described case. At the same time, the hadith gives another situation: if a door has no cover, is not closed, and a passerby looks, then the sin is on the people of the house. This hadith about seeking permission shows two sides: visitors must not spy, and households should protect their own privacy when a door is openly exposed.
What we learn from this hadith
- Looking into a home before permission is not lawful.
- Seeking privacy inside homes is treated seriously in the hadith.
- A covered or closed entrance should not be violated.
- If a door is openly uncovered and unclosed, the text places blame on the household.
