Tafsir of An-Nur 24:27

After He, may He be glorified and exalted, detailed the deterrents against adultery and against slandering chaste women regarding it, He began detailing the deterrents against that which might lead to either of them, such as the intermingling of men and women, their entry upon women during times of privacy, and the teaching of beautiful manners and pleasing conduct that bring about the happiness of both abodes. Thus, He said, "O you who have believed, do not enter houses other than your own," etc.

The occasion for the revelation, according to what Al-Firyabi and others recorded via `Adi ibn Thabit from a man of the Ansar, is that a woman said, "O Messenger of Allah, I am in my house in a state in which I do not like anyone to see me, not even my child or my father. Then someone comes to me and enters upon me, so what should I do?" Thereupon, "O you who have believed..." was revealed.

Attributing the houses to the pronoun of the addressed ("your own houses") is an attribution of specification. According to some, it is the specification of ownership. Describing the houses as "other than your own" in this sense falls outside the habit—which is that every person resides in their own property—otherwise, the tenant and the lender of the house would also be forbidden from entering without permission.

Some said: The meaning is the specification of residence, i.e., "other than the houses you reside in." Because the tenant and the lender are forbidden, like others, from entering without permission, it is evidence against the intent of property specification. Therefore, it is interpreted as the aforementioned specification of residence, and there is no need to say that the former falls outside the habit. It was recited "buyutan ghayra buyutikum" with a kasra on the "ba" because of the "ya."

"Until you ask for permission (tasta'nisu)" means: until you seek permission from those who have the authority to grant it among their inhabitants. Ibn Abi Hatim, Ibn al-Anbari in Al-Masahif, Ibn Jarir, and Ibn Marduyah recorded this interpretation from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both). This is contradicted by what Al-Hakim (who authenticated it), Al-Diya' in Al-Mukhtarah, Al-Bayhaqi in Shu'ab al-Iman, and others narrated from him, that he said regarding "until you ask for permission (tasta'nisu)": "The scribe erred; it is actually 'until you seek permission (tasta'dinu).'" However, Abu Hayyan said: "Whoever narrates from Ibn Abbas that he said that is an attacker of Islam, an atheist in religion, and Ibn Abbas is innocent of that statement."

You should know that the authentication of Al-Hakim is not relied upon by the masters of Hadith, but the aforementioned report has many chains of narration, and the book Al-Ahadith al-Mukhtarah by Al-Diya' is a respected book. Al-Sakhawi said in Fath al-Mughith, in his classification of the authors of the Musnad collections: "Some of them limit themselves to what is suitable for argumentation, like Al-Diya' in his Mukhtarah." Al-Suyuti counts—among what he lists in the introduction of Jam' al-Jawami'—the five books: Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sahih Ibn Hibban, Al-Mustadrak, and Al-Mukhtarah by Al-Diya'. He said, "Everything contained in these five books is authentic." The Hafiz Ibn Rajab also narrated in Tabaqat al-Hanabilah from some scholars that he said: "The book Al-Mukhtarah is better than Sahih al-Hakim." The existence of this report there, along with the multiplicity of its chains, makes what Abu Hayyan said unlikely.

Ibn al-Anbari answered this report and similar ones that apparently attack the tawatur (mass transmission) of the Quran narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both) by saying that the narrations are weak and contradicted by other narrations from Ibn Abbas and others. This is less severe than Abu Hayyan’s accusation. Ibn Ashtah answered all of this by saying that the intent was an error in choosing and leaving that which was more appropriate according to his own judgment—may Allah be pleased with him—for all people to follow from the seven ahruf, because what was written was an error excluded from the Quran.

Al-Jalal al-Suyuti chose this answer and said: It is more appropriate and grounded than the answer of Ibn al-Anbari. It is not hidden from you that interpreting Ibn Abbas's speech in this way is not devoid of far-fetchedness, as what was mentioned contradicts the apparent meaning of his speech. Furthermore, Ibn Abbas's suspicion of the appropriateness of that which the rest of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) had reached consensus to the contrary—based on what they heard from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in the final review—is unlikely. It is as if they saw that committing to this interpretation is easier than denying the establishment of the report from Ibn Abbas, given the multiplicity of its chains and Al-Diya' recording it in his Mukhtarah. What encourages this denial is the belief in the eminence of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both) and the establishment of consensus on the tawatur of the opposite of what his speech appears to imply. So contemplate this.

The use of istinaas (seeking permission/familiarity) in the sense of isti'dhan (requesting permission) is based on the fact that it is an istif'al form from anasa (to know or see something). Seeing it is a path to knowing it, so istinaas is seeking knowledge. The seeker of permission is one who seeks knowledge of the situation, discovering whether his entry is desired or not.

It is also said that istinaas is the opposite of istiwahash (feeling alienated). It is derived from uns (intimacy), the opposite of wahshah (alienation). The intent is permission; it is as if it were said: "until you are granted permission," for the one who knocks on another's door does not know whether he will be given permission or not, so he is like one alienated by the obscurity of the situation. When permission is given to him, he finds uns (familiarity). In this, it is a metonymy or a metaphor.

It is also said that istinaas is from ins (people), meaning: "Seek to know who is in the houses from the people." This was weakened by the argument that it involves derivation from a frozen noun—as in the claim that musraj is derived from siraj (lamp)—and that knowing who is in the house is not sufficient without permission, thus suggesting that entry without permission is permissible. Some have argued for it due to its relevance to the verse, "And if you do not find anyone in them..." This does not outweigh the weakness you have heard.

Al-Tabari held that the meaning is: "until you make the people of the house familiar with yourselves by seeking permission and the like, and make yourselves familiar by letting them know that you have been perceived." The obscurity of this is apparent.

It is also said that the meaning is: "until you seek knowledge of the people of the house," and the intent is to make them aware in the most complete way. This is guided by what was narrated from Abu Ayyub al-Ansari: "O Messenger of Allah, what is istinaas?" He replied: "A man speaks the tasbih, takbir, and tahmid, and clears his throat to alert the people of the house." And what Ibn al-Mundhir and others recorded from Mujahid that he said: "Tasta'nisu means to clear your throats and hawk." It is also said that the intent is "until you make the people of the house familiar with you by informing them with tasbih or the like." The two mentioned reports do not reject this, and both sayings are as you see. In the implication of what was mentioned regarding the interpretation of istinaas in the report, there is a discussion to which we will point, God willing.

"And greet their inhabitants," meaning those dwelling in them. The apparent meaning of the verse is that requesting permission precedes the greeting, and some have held this view. Al-Nawawi said: The correct and chosen view is to place the greeting before the request for permission. Al-Tirmidhi recorded from Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Greeting before speech." Ibn Abi Shaybah and Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab al-Mufrad recorded from Abu Hurayrah regarding one who asks for permission before greeting: "He is not given permission until he greets." Ibn Abi Shaybah and Ibn Wahb in Kitab al-Majalis recorded from Zayd ibn Aslam that he said: "My father sent me to Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with both). I came to him and said, 'May I enter?' He said, 'Enter.' When I entered, he said, 'Welcome, son of my brother. Do not say, "May I enter?" But say: "Peace be upon you." If it is said: "And upon you," then say, "May I enter?" If they say, "Enter," then enter.'"

Qasim ibn Asbagh and Ibn Abd al-Barr in Al-Tamhid recorded from Ibn Abbas that he said: "Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked for permission from the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said, 'Peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon you, may Umar enter?'" Al-Mawardi chose a detailed approach: if the seeker of permission catches sight of those inside before entering, he greets first, otherwise he asks for permission first.

The apparent meaning is that requesting permission is done with that which clearly indicates a desire for permission. The known tradition for this is "May I enter?" as you have heard. It is permitted to be done with that from which this is understood absolutely. They included in this tasbih and takbir and the like, by which the people of the house are alerted to the arrival, for alerting them is a sign of requesting their permission. They interpreted the aforementioned hadith of Abu Ayyub and the statement of Mujahid in this light.

According to what was narrated from 'Ata', it is obligatory for every pubescent person, and the one woman suffices for it, according to the apparent meaning of the verse. Al-Bayhaqi in Shu'ab and Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from Qatada that he said: "It used to be said: 'Asking for permission is three times; whoever is not given permission within them should return. As for the first, the living [inhabitants] hear; as for the second, they take their caution; and as for the third, if they wish, they give permission, and if they wish, they turn one away.'" Regarding the command to return after three, there is an attributed (marfu') hadith recorded by Malik, Al-Bukhari, Muslim, and Abu Dawud from Abu Sa'id al-Khudri.

Abu Hayyan mentioned that one should not exceed three unless one is certain that the people in the house did not hear. The apparent meaning of the verse is the legitimacy of seeking permission when intending to enter upon those who are mahram (kin). Malik in Al-Muwatta' recorded from 'Ata' ibn Yasar that a man said to the Prophet (peace be upon him): "Should I ask for permission from my mother?" He said: "Yes." He said: "She has no servant other than me, should I ask for permission from her every time I enter?" He said: "Would you like to see her naked?" The man said: "No." He said: "Then ask for permission from her." Ibn Jarir and Al-Bayhaqi recorded from Ibn Mas'ud: "It is upon you to ask for permission from your mothers and sisters."

It is also, according to what some reports imply, legitimate for women when they intend to enter houses other than their own. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from Umm Iyas that she said: "I was among four women seeking permission to enter upon Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). I said, 'May we enter?' She said, 'No.' Then one said, 'Peace be upon you, may we enter?' She said, 'Enter.'" Then she recited: "O you who have believed, do not enter houses other than your own..." etc. If this is authentic, then the verse contains a type of predominance (taghlib). The reasoning for the legitimacy of permission for them is similar to the reasoning for its legitimacy for men, for the people of the house might be in a state they do not wish women to be aware of, just as they do not wish men to be aware of it.

It is authenticated from a hadith recorded by the two Shaikhs (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) and others: "Seeking permission was only ordained because of the sight (vision)." From this, one should not look into the depths of the house before seeking permission. Al-Tabarani recorded from Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he said: "Whoever testifies that I am the Messenger of Allah should not enter upon any household until he asks for permission and greets. If he looks into the depths of the house, he has entered."

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), as Abu Dawud and Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab al-Mufrad recorded from Abdullah ibn Bishr, when he came to a people's door, he would not face the door directly, but from its right corner or its left, and he would say: "Peace be upon you." This is because the houses in those days did not have curtains, so facing the door might lead to looking inside. The apparent meaning of the verse also includes the legitimacy of seeking permission for the blind, as he enters into the generality of the relative pronoun ("O you who have believed"). The reason for this is the detestation of him becoming aware, by means of hearing, of that which the people of the house do not wish him to be aware of, such as speech, for example.

In Al-Kashshaf: "Permission was only ordained so that one would not come upon states that people usually conceal from others and guard against anyone becoming aware of, and it was not ordained only so that one would not look at anyone's nakedness, nor should the eye get ahead to that which is not lawful to look upon." This is a good explanation, except that stating this requires saying that his statement (peace be upon him), "Permission was only ordained because of sight," falls outside the norm—it was brought for emphasis, not for exclusivity. They have explicitly stated that "only" (innama) comes for that reason, so do not be heedless.

Then know that requesting permission and greeting are distinct, but the apparent meaning of some reports implies that requesting permission is included in the greeting, just as some imply its distinction from it and its non-inclusion. The reasoning for making it part of the greeting is that without it, it is as if it is nonexistent, because the Sunnah is to couple it with the greeting. This is in the mus'haf (codex) of Abdullah, as Ibn Jarir and others recorded from Ibrahim: "Until you greet their inhabitants and ask for permission."

"That is better for you," is a reference, as has been said, to entering by way of requesting permission and greeting, which is understood from the speech. It is also said: it is a reference to what is mentioned within the two actions, the termination of which is the requesting of permission and greeting. "Better for you" than entering suddenly and entering with the greeting of the Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic era). For if a man among them wanted to enter a house other than his own, he would say: "May you be greeted with a morning, may you be greeted with an evening," and then enter. It might happen that the man was with his wife under a single blanket. The preferability of what is preferred over, it is said, is according to their claim, because of the humiliation in waiting and because the greeting of the Jahiliyyah is not good, as is the custom today in saying "Good morning" and "Good evening." Perhaps it is better to say: this is of the category "vinegar is sweeter than honey." It is permitted that "better" be an adjective, so there is no estimation.

His statement, "that you may remember": This is a justification, according to what a group chose, for a deleted [phrase], i.e., "you were guided to that, or this was said to you, so that you may remember, take heed, and act according to its requirement."