Skip to main content

People and neighbours · When the moment comes

Ask permission properly at a door

The practice
Seek permission to enter, give your name when asked who it is, and leave if not admitted after three requests
When
arriving at someone's door
In daily life
Ring or knock, and if someone asks 'Who is it?', give your name rather than just 'Me'. If no one opens after three tries, head home without hard feelings; the same manners apply to calling someone again and again.

The sources

كُنْتُ فِي مَجْلِسٍ مِنْ مَجَالِسِ الأَنْصَارِ إِذْ جَاءَ أَبُو مُوسَى كَأَنَّهُ مَذْعُورٌ فَقَالَ اسْتَأْذَنْتُ عَلَى عُمَرَ ثَلاَثًا، فَلَمْ يُؤْذَنْ لِي فَرَجَعْتُ فَقَالَ مَا مَنَعَكَ قُلْتُ اسْتَأْذَنْتُ ثَلاَثًا، فَلَمْ يُؤْذَنْ لِي فَرَجَعْتُ، وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ إِذَا اسْتَأْذَنَ أَحَدُكُمْ ثَلاَثًا فَلَمْ يُؤْذَنْ لَهُ، فَلْيَرْجِعْ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقَالَ وَاللَّهِ لَتُقِيمَنَّ عَلَيْهِ بِبَيِّنَةٍ‏.‏ أَمِنْكُمْ أَحَدٌ سَمِعَهُ مِنَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ أُبَىُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ وَاللَّهِ لاَ يَقُومُ مَعَكَ إِلاَّ أَصْغَرُ الْقَوْمِ، فَكُنْتُ أَصْغَرَ الْقَوْمِ، فَقُمْتُ مَعَهُ فَأَخْبَرْتُ عُمَرَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ذَلِكَ‏.‏ وَقَالَ ابْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ أَخْبَرَنِي ابْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ حَدَّثَنِي يَزِيدُ عَنْ بُسْرٍ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ بِهَذَا‏.

“While I was present in one of the gatherings of the Ansar, Abu Musa came as if he was scared, and said, "I asked permission to enter upon `Umar three times, but I was not given the permission, so I returned." (When `Umar came to know about it) he said to Abu Musa, "Why did you not enter?'. Abu Musa replied, "I asked permission three times, and I was not given it, so I returned, for Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "If anyone of you asks the permission to enter thrice, and the permission is not given, then he should return.' " `Umar said, "By Allah! We will ask Abu Musa to bring witnesses for it." (Abu Musa went to a gathering of the Ansar and said). "Did anyone of you hear this from the Prophet ﷺ ?" Ubai bin Ka`b said, "By Allah, none will go with you but the youngest of the people (as a witness)." (Abu Sa`id) was the youngest of them, so I went with Abu Musa and informed `Umar that the Prophet ﷺ had said so. (See Hadith No. 277, Vol)”
Narrated by Abu Sa`id Al-KhudriSahih al-Bukhari 6245
The full hadith, with its chain and grading →

Arabic: ara-bukhari · Translation: Muhsin Khan (eng-bukhari), from the eng-bukhari edition of hadith-api (public domain), sunnah.com numbering.

أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي دَيْنٍ كَانَ عَلَى أَبِي فَدَقَقْتُ الْبَابَ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ مَنْ ذَا ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ أَنَا‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ أَنَا أَنَا ‏"‏‏.‏ كَأَنَّهُ كَرِهَهَا‏.

“I came to the Prophet ﷺ in order to consult him regarding my father's debt. When I knocked on the door, he asked, "Who is that?" I replied, "I" He said, "I, I?" He repeated it as if he disliked it”
Narrated by JabirSahih al-Bukhari 6250
The full hadith, with its chain and grading →

Arabic: ara-bukhari · Translation: Muhsin Khan (eng-bukhari), from the eng-bukhari edition of hadith-api (public domain), sunnah.com numbering.

More Sunnahs like this

Pick one

Uswa is a free app that helps you keep one small Sunnah at a time, with a reminder that restates your own plan. No ads, no subscriptions.

Get early access

Sources: Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, and narrations of Jami at-Tirmidhi graded sahih or hasan sahih by al-Albani.