Ruling on Seeking Permission — Three Stages Before Entry
fiqh
Level: basic
akhlaq
fqh-075
لَا تَدۡخُلُواْ بُيُوتًا غَيۡرَ بُيُوتِكُمۡ حَتَّىٰ تَسۡتَأۡنِسُواْ وَتُسَلِّمُواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَهۡلِهَا
— النور 27
Verse: "O believers, do not enter houses other than your own until you have sought permission and greeted their inhabitants. That is better for you, that you may be reminded." (24:27)
Ruling: Obligatory before entry to protect household sanctity and family privacy.
Three stages (from Sunnah): (1) First request — if permitted, enter; if no reply, wait. (2) Second request — if permitted, enter. (3) Third request — if not permitted, leave without insisting.
Verse 28: Even if the house is empty — do not enter until given permission.
Source: Al-Qurtubi (12/215); Ibn Al-Arabi (3/358); Sahih Muslim (2154)
Question: How many times does one seek permission before entering and what if not permitted?
Answer: Three times — if not permitted on the third, leave without insisting. The Prophet said: "Seeking permission is three times."