Asalaamualaykum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu I am due to complete on the purchase of a house inshaa Allah. Please can you advise of the etiquette if any, once we get the keys and for the first time step inside the house. Should we recite any duaas/Quran? I have made the intention to ensure the first item we take into the house is the Quran and a musallah so we can pray 2 Rakats nafl shukran. please advise if this is advisable. We have a practise in our home to shout ‘Asalaamualaykum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu’, when we enter our home from outside, even if the house is empty. Please can you advise if this is from an established sinnah or if it is ok to do? I believe my in laws side do it and say it’s to do salaams upon the angels that are in the home when we enter. Please advise if this is true. JazakhAllahu Khairan
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
May Almighty Allah grant you goodness and barakah in your new home and may Almighty Allah make your home a means of peace and tranquillity for you. Aameen.
Allah Ta’ala mentions in the Holy Qur’aan:
لَئِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ وَلَئِنْ كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٌ
Translation: If you show gratitude, then I will definitely grant you more. But, if you are ungrateful, then My punishment is indeed severe”
(Surah Ibrahim, Verse 7)
There are no specific deeds or du’as to be conducted when moving into new premises.
However, the following may be conducted to attain Barakah: [1]
- First and foremost be obedient to Allah in all aspects of life. That will invoke the mercy of Allah. If one is disobedient to Allah, do not expect Barakah in one’s new home, despite the other means one adopted to attain Barakah.
- Invite family and pious people (saaliheen) and request them to make dua. [2]
It is recorded that the senior Tabi’ie Sayyiduna ‘Urwah ibn Zubayr (Rahimahullah) had invited the people of Madinah to his new home that he built in ‘wadil ‘aqiq’. The narration states that those who attended made du’a for Barakah as well.
(Siyar A’lamin Nubala, Vol.4 pg.428)
- Make a Musallah in one position of the house. You may request and invite a pious person to come over and request him to perform Nafl Salaah at that place and make it your Musallah.
Consider the following narration:
سَمِعْتُ عِتْبَانَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ الأَنْصَارِيَّ، قَالَ اسْتَأْذَنَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَذِنْتُ لَهُ فَقَالَ “ أَيْنَ تُحِبُّ أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ مِنْ بَيْتِكَ فَأَشَرْتُ لَهُ إِلَى الْمَكَانِ الَّذِي أُحِبُّ، فَقَامَ وَصَفَفْنَا خَلْفَهُ ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ وَسَلَّمْنَا
Translation: The Prophet (ﷺ)(came to my house and) asked permission for entering and I allowed him. He asked, “Where do you like me to pray in your house?” I pointed to a place that I liked. He stood up for prayer, we aligned behind him, he finished the prayer with Taslim, and we did the same.
(Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Kitaab Al-Adhaan)
- Make Salaam before entering the house.
عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ: قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: يَا بُنَيَّ إِذَا دَخَلْتَ عَلَى أَهْلِكَ فَسَلِّمْ يَكُونُ بَرَكَةً عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتِكَ
Translation: Anas bin Malik Radhiallahu Anhu reported:
Nabi (ﷺ) said to me, “My beloved son, when you enter upon your family, say As- Salamu ‘Alaikum to your family, for it will be a blessing for you and upon the inhabitants of your house.”
(Jaami Al-Tirmidhi)
- When entering an empty house, recite the following:
أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ رضي الله عنهما قَالَ: إِذَا دَخَلَ الْبَيْتَ غَيْرَ الْمَسْكُونِ فَلْيَقُلِ السلام علينا وعلى عباد الله الصالحين
Translation: When one enters an empty house, one should recite:
Assalamu ‘Alayna wa ‘ala ‘ibadillahis-sawlihin
Peace be upon us and on the pious slaves of Allah.
(Aadab Al-Mufrad, Muatta Imaam Malik)
- Recite the dua for protection:
سَمِعْتُ خَوْلَةَ بِنْتَ حَكِيمٍ السُّلَمِيَّةَ، تَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: ” مَنْ نَزَلَ مَنْزِلًا ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ، لَمْ يَضُرَّهُ شَيْءٌ، حَتَّى يَرْتَحِلَ مِنْ مَنْزِلِهِ ذَلِكَ “
Translation: Khaulah bint Hakim Radhiallahu Anha reported:
I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, “Whosoever alights somewhere and says: ‘A’udhu bikalimat-illahit-tammati min sharri ma khalaqa (I seek refuge with the Perfect Words of Allah from the evil of what He has created),’ nothing will harm him until he leaves that place.”
(Saheeh Al-Muslim)
ما من عبد يقول في صباح كل يوم ومساء كل ليلة: بسم الله الذي لا يضر مع اسمه شيء في الأرض ولا في السماء وهو السميع العليم، ثلاث مرات، إلا لم يضره شيء“
Translation: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “He who recites three times every morning and evening: ‘Bismillahil-ladhi la yadurru ma’as-mihi shai’un fil-ardi wa la fis-sama’i, wa Huwas-Sami’ul-‘Alim (In the Name of Allah with Whose Name there is protection against every kind of harm in the earth or in the heaven, and He is the All-Hearing and All- Knowing),’ nothing will harm him.”
- Make tilawah of the Qura’an daily.
وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال :” لا تجعلوا بيوتكم مقابر، إن الشيطان ينفر من البيت الذي تقرأ فيه سورة البقرة”
Translation: Abu Hurairah Radhiallahu Anhu narrated that Nabi (ﷺ) said: “Do not turn your houses into a graveyard. Shaitan runs away from the house in which Surat Al-Baqarah is recited. “
(Saheeh Al-Muslim)
وعن أبي مسعود البدري رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : “ من قرأ بالآيتين من آخر سورة البقرة في ليلة كفتاه ”
Translation: Abu Mas’ud Al-Badri Radhiallahu Anhu narrated from Nabi (ﷺ)
“He who recites the two Aayat at the end of Surah Al-Baqarah at night, they will suffice him.”
(Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Al-Muslim)
- Send abundant durood upon Nabi (ﷺ) and make dhikr daily.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Muhammad I.V Patel
Student Darul Iftaa
Lusaka, Zambia
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
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[2] المعتصر من المختصر من مشكل الآثار (1/ 295)
ومنها طعام الوكيرة من الوكر وهو ما يطعم إذا بنى دارا أو اشتراها
تبيين الحقائق شرح كنز الدقائق وحاشية الشلبي (5/ 110)
قَالَ الْأَتْقَانِيُّ وَالْوَلِيمَةُ طَعَامُ الْعُرْسِ وَالْوَكِيرَةُ طَعَامُ الْبِنَاءِ