The Ruling on Seeking Permission — Privacy Ethics
fiqh
Level: basic
special
fqh-024
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَدۡخُلُواْ بُيُوتًا غَيۡرَ بُيُوتِكُمۡ حَتَّىٰ تَسۡتَأۡنِسُواْ
— النور 27
Verse: "Do not enter houses other than your own until you have sought permission and greeted their inhabitants." (24:27)
"Seek permission" before "greet": Checking if permission is appropriate comes before the greeting — verify first.
Three times maximum: "Permission is three times — if permitted, enter; otherwise return." (Bukhari & Muslim)
Peering into a home without permission: "If someone looks into your home without permission and you blind his eye, there is no blame on you." (Agreed Upon)
Implication: Home privacy is a legal right — extending to children's rooms within the house.
Source: Sahih Al-Bukhari (6245); Al-Qurtubi (12/209); Ibn Al-Arabi (3/360)
Question: What is the maximum number of times to seek entry permission at a door?
Answer: Three times — if not permitted, he must leave and not persist.