Tafsir of An-Nur 24:29

"There is no blame upon you that you enter" — that is, without seeking permission — "houses not inhabited," meaning those not designated for the residence of a specific group exclusively. Rather, they are for the benefit of whoever needs them, whoever they may be, without being taken as a dwelling, such as hospices, inns, shops, bathhouses, and the like. They are prepared for the interests of all people, as indicated by His saying, "in which there is benefit for you." This is either an attribute of the houses or an inaugural statement serving as a justification for the negation of blame. That is, in them is a right of benefit for you, such as taking shelter from heat and cold, storing goods and baggage, buying and selling, bathing, and other activities appropriate to the state of such houses and those who enter them. Therefore, there is no harm in entering them without the permission of those who entered before, nor from those who manage their affairs and oversee their administration.

Ibn Abi Hatim narrated from Muqatil that when the saying of the Almighty, "O you who have believed, do not enter houses other than your own until you ascertain welcome and greet their inhabitants," was revealed, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah, what about the merchants of the Quraish who travel between Mecca, Medina, Ash-Sham, and Bayt al-Maqdis, and have known houses along the road? How can they seek permission and greet when there are no inhabitants in them?" So the Exalted granted a concession regarding that and revealed His saying, "There is no blame upon you..." The Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) intended by the "known houses" the inns that are on the roads, and they are more general in the verse than that. There is no consideration for the specificity of the cause; what has been narrated from Ibn Jubayr, Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah, al-Dahhak, and others in explaining it as such is by way of exemplification. Likewise, what a group narrated from ‘Ata, ‘Abd ibn Humayd, and Ibrahim al-Nakha’i, that they are ruined houses entered for the purpose of relieving oneself, is also by way of exemplification. As for what was narrated from Ibn al-Hanafiyyah—that they are the houses of Mecca—this is also by way of exemplification, though the validity of that is based on the opinion that the houses of Mecca are not owned and that people are partners in them, and you know the disagreement regarding this issue.

Abu Dawud in al-Nasikh and Ibn Jarir narrated from Ibn Abbas that the saying of the Exalted, "O you who have believed, do not enter houses other than your own until you ascertain welcome and greet their inhabitants," has been abrogated by His saying, "There is no blame upon you..." and he excepted from it the uninhabited houses. The report of the exception was also narrated from ‘Ikrimah and al-Hasan, and this is what the apparent meaning of Muqatil’s report dictates. Al-Zamakhshari adopted this view, and Abu Hayyan criticized it, saying that it is not apparent, because the first verse is regarding owned and inhabited houses, while this verse is regarding permissible houses that have no exclusivity to one person over another. What sound deliberation requires is that the "houses" mentioned previously are more general than these houses; thus, what was mentioned is a specification of that, and it is the meaning intended by the exception. So contemplate and do not be heedless.

"And Allah knows what you disclose and what you conceal."

This is a threat to anyone who enters such places for the purpose of corruption or to gaze upon private matters.