Must I Ask Permission to Enter My Parents’ Room?

Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question

Is it still obligatory for me to ask permission to enter my parents room, if I know they don’t mind?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

Small Children

For small children it is only obligatory to seek permission before entering upon their parents at the following three timings, even if you believe they would not mind:

1) Prior to the Fajr prayer time

2) Midday (Around Zhuhr prayer time)

3)After Isha prayer

[al-Mawsu’a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya]

This would also apply to any time where it is likely that privacy may be needed. This may be different for each household. Some general times are while they are getting ready for work or for bed. [Ibid.]

Allah Most High says, “O believers! Let those…of you who are still under age ask for your permission ˹to come in˺ at three times: before dawn prayer, when you take off your ˹outer˺ clothes at noon, and after the late evening prayer. ˹These are˺ three times of privacy for you. Other than these times, there is no blame on you or them to move freely, attending to one another. This is how Allah makes the revelations clear to you, for Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.” [Qur’an; 24:58]

Older Children

If one is of age, they must seek permission before entering upon anyone of the opposite gender (except for one’s spouse), regardless whether they are related or not. [al-Mawsu’a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaitiyya]

Note that it was the opinion of Imam al-Awza’i that “of age” in the above verse is 4 years old or older. This is the more cautious opinion. [Qurtubi; al-Jam’i li Ahkam al-Qur’an]

A man asked The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) saying, “Do I seek permission before entering upon my mother?” He said, “Yes.” The man said, “She lives with me.” The Messenger said, “Seek permission to enter upon her.” The man said, “I take care of her.” The Messenger said, “Seek permission to enter upon her. Would you like to (accidentally) see her undressed.” He said, “No.” The Messenger said, “Seek permission to enter upon her.” [Malik] 

Hope this helps

Allah knows best

[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he completed four years at the Darul Uloom seminary in New York, where he studied Arabic and the traditional sciences. He then traveled to Tarim, Yemen, where he stayed for three years studying in Dar Al-Mustafa under some of the greatest scholars of our time, including Habib Umar Bin Hafiz, Habib Kadhim al-Saqqaf, and Shaykh Umar al-Khatib. In Tarim, Shaykh Yusuf completed the memorization of the Qur’an and studied beliefs, legal methodology, hadith methodology, Qur’anic exegesis, Islamic history, and several texts on spirituality. He joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.