Many people take lightly the issue of making appointments; thus, they knock on people’s doors without prior notice, and if they dare to say that they cannot receive them [fdue to having something to do], they overreact and take prejudice and fiery stands from them, as they consider their excuse as a personal insult and a hostile stand against them.
Actually, this is what we are experiencing in our reality and in our daily interactions, for many people appear suddenly at the doorsteps of others' houses and workplaces without prior notice; thus, causing them hardships and embarrassment.
Allah says in His Glorious Book: “O you who believe! Do not enter houses other than your own houses until you have asked permission and saluted their inmates; this is better for you, that you may be mindful. But if you do not find any one therein, then do not enter them until permission is given to you; and if it is said to you: Go back, then go back; this is purer for you; and Allah is Cognizant of what you do.”Surah An-Nur (24: 27-28).
In this context, His Eminence, the late Religious Authority, Sayyed Muhammad Hussein Fadlullah (ra), points out that one of the rules of social discipline in Islam is respecting the other’s freedom in his house; thus, one should not enter it without taking the owner’s permission first, whether they are present or not, as they might consider their home inappropriate for receiving guests or they might be keeping some private secrets they do not want others to know about or other justifications that lead one to preserve the inviolability of his house.
His Eminence also highlights the importance of this social dimension in Islam, which is “seeking permission”, and that this issue is strongly related to the concept of personal freedom and the necessity of not trespassing the limits one sets under any circumstances. Islam encourages us to train ourselves in respecting the others’ private matters in a natural way, without any complexes, and to infuse this attitude in our personalities, as doing so would actually be relieving any pressures imposed on the reality when we take each other's private matters into consideration.
His Eminence (ra) continues to say: "If someone refuses to receive you when you visit them without an appointment, you should not react impulsively or be negatively affected by that, as they might not be in a proper physical, psychological or intellectual situation that allows him to receive you."
Commenting on the blessed verses of Surah An-Nour, His Eminence (ra) considers that the Holy Quran urges us to be mindful of the practical realities of life, which take the nature of human circumstances into consideration. Thus, it refuses to comprehend this stance as an insult or offense; rather, it regards it as a realistic and natural behavior related to organizing one’s life and arranging meetings and appointments, which elevates the level of society and brings relief to all its individuals.
He adds: Civilized people have adopted this practical behavior that the Quran calls on us to follow, making it an integral part of their daily lives, where they act simply, spontaneously and realistically without any meaningless impulsive reactions. This outlines the main features of civilization that many of us try to imitate or even advocate, such as European civilization, while we find, as previously mentioned, that the Quranic verses included teachings on how to adopt this behavior hundreds of years ago.
[General Islamic concepts, p: 28]
Many people take lightly the issue of making appointments; thus, they knock on people’s doors without prior notice, and if they dare to say that they cannot receive them [fdue to having something to do], they overreact and take prejudice and fiery stands from them, as they consider their excuse as a personal insult and a hostile stand against them.
Actually, this is what we are experiencing in our reality and in our daily interactions, for many people appear suddenly at the doorsteps of others' houses and workplaces without prior notice; thus, causing them hardships and embarrassment.
Allah says in His Glorious Book: “O you who believe! Do not enter houses other than your own houses until you have asked permission and saluted their inmates; this is better for you, that you may be mindful. But if you do not find any one therein, then do not enter them until permission is given to you; and if it is said to you: Go back, then go back; this is purer for you; and Allah is Cognizant of what you do.”Surah An-Nur (24: 27-28).
In this context, His Eminence, the late Religious Authority, Sayyed Muhammad Hussein Fadlullah (ra), points out that one of the rules of social discipline in Islam is respecting the other’s freedom in his house; thus, one should not enter it without taking the owner’s permission first, whether they are present or not, as they might consider their home inappropriate for receiving guests or they might be keeping some private secrets they do not want others to know about or other justifications that lead one to preserve the inviolability of his house.
His Eminence also highlights the importance of this social dimension in Islam, which is “seeking permission”, and that this issue is strongly related to the concept of personal freedom and the necessity of not trespassing the limits one sets under any circumstances. Islam encourages us to train ourselves in respecting the others’ private matters in a natural way, without any complexes, and to infuse this attitude in our personalities, as doing so would actually be relieving any pressures imposed on the reality when we take each other's private matters into consideration.
His Eminence (ra) continues to say: "If someone refuses to receive you when you visit them without an appointment, you should not react impulsively or be negatively affected by that, as they might not be in a proper physical, psychological or intellectual situation that allows him to receive you."
Commenting on the blessed verses of Surah An-Nour, His Eminence (ra) considers that the Holy Quran urges us to be mindful of the practical realities of life, which take the nature of human circumstances into consideration. Thus, it refuses to comprehend this stance as an insult or offense; rather, it regards it as a realistic and natural behavior related to organizing one’s life and arranging meetings and appointments, which elevates the level of society and brings relief to all its individuals.
He adds: Civilized people have adopted this practical behavior that the Quran calls on us to follow, making it an integral part of their daily lives, where they act simply, spontaneously and realistically without any meaningless impulsive reactions. This outlines the main features of civilization that many of us try to imitate or even advocate, such as European civilization, while we find, as previously mentioned, that the Quranic verses included teachings on how to adopt this behavior hundreds of years ago.
[General Islamic concepts, p: 28]