Question:
Assalamualaikum SS Datuk Mufti. I want to ask regarding the practice of asking for protection such as ‘fencing’ a house. Is this permissible? Thank you.
Answer:
Waalaikumussalam wrt wbt,
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
In the matters of protecting oneself and his house from the disturbances of shaytan, the Prophet PBUH teaches us several practices that we can do. Among them is by reciting surah al-Baqarah and ayat al-Kursi. In a hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah RA, the Prophet PBUH said:
لاَ تَجْعَلُوا بُيُوتَكُمْ مَقَابِرَ ، إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَنْفِرُ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ الَّذِي تُقْرَأُ فِيهِ سُورَةُ الْبَقَرَةِ
“Do not make your houses as graveyards. Satan runs away from the house in which Surah Baqara is recited.”
Sahih Muslim (780) and Sunan al-Nasa’ie (10735)
According to Ibnu Mas’ud RA, the Prophet PBUH said:
إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ إِذَا سَمِعَ سُورَةَ الْبَقَرَةِ تُقْرَأُ فِي بَيْتٍ، خَرَجَ مِنْهُ
“Indeed, the shaytan when he hears the recitation of al-Baqarah in a house, he would run away from the house,”
Narrated by al-Tabrani in Mu’jam al-Kabir (8642) and al-Darimi (3422)
In a hadith narrated from Ubai bin Ka’ab, he owned a drying area for dates and in it are the dates under his care. Afterwards, he discovered that his dates have decreases. Suddenly, he saw an animal the size of a child who has just reached puberty. He asked him: “Are you a jinn or human?” The creature answered: “I’m a jinn.”
In this narration, the jinn states: “I heard that you love to donate. Thus, I came to get some of your donations.” Thus, Ubai bin Ka’ab asked:
فَمَا الَّذِي يُجِيرُنَا مِنْكُمْ؟ قَالَ : هَذِهِ الآيَةُ آيَةُ الْكُرْسِيِّ ، ثُمَّ غَدَا أُبَيٌّ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَأَخْبَرَهُ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : صَدَقَ الْخَبِيثُ
“What can protect us from you disturbing us?” The jinn answered: “This verse, which is the verse of Kursi.” The following day, Ubai narrated the story to the Prophet PBUH and the Prophet PBUH said: “The jinn spoke of the truth.”
Sunan al-Nasa’ie (10796)
The Prophet PBUH also taught is a supplication when we are entering our house. In a hadith narrated by Jabir bin Abdillah R.Anhuma, the Prophet PBUH said:
إِذَا دَخَلَ الرَّجُلُ بَيْتَهُ فَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ عِنْدَ دُخُولِهِ، وَعِنْدَ طَعَامِهِ، قَالَ الشَّيْطَانُ: لَا مَبِيتَ لَكُمْ وَلَا عَشَاءَ، وَإِذَا دَخَلَ فَلَمْ يُذْكَرِ اللَّهَ عِنْدَ دُخُولِهِ قَالَ الشَّيْطَانُ: أَدْرَكْتُمُ الْمَبِيتَ
“When a man enters his house and mention Allah’s name on entering and on his food, the devil says: You have no place to spend the night and no evening meal; but when he enters without mentioning Allah’s name on entering, the devil says: You have found a place to spend the night, and when he does not mention Allah’s name at his food, he says: You have found a place to spend the night and an evening meal.”
Sahih Muslim (2018) and Sunan Abu Daud (3765)
Almarhum Dato’ Dr haron Din commented on the issue of fencing one’s house, saying: “The best way to fence a house is by increasing the recitations of the Quran in the house.” (See Kaedah Merawat Susuk, pg. 48)
Moreover, other sunnah worships should be performed in one’s house and not at the mosque. In a hadith narrated by Ibnu Umar R.Anhuma, the prophet PBUH said:
اجْعَلُوا فِي بُيُوتِكُمْ مِنْ صَلاَتِكُمْ وَلاَ تَتَّخِذُوهَا قُبُورًا
"Offer some of your prayers (Nawafil) at home, and do not take your houses as graves."
Sahih al-Bukhari (432) and Sahih Muslim (777)
What is meant by prayer here is sunnah prayers that is performed alone. This is as stated in a hadith from Zaid bin Thabit RA, where the Prophet PBUH said:
فَإِنَّ أَفْضَلَ صَلَاةِ الْمَرْءِ فِي بَيْتِهِ إِلَّا الصَّلَاةَ الْمَكْتُوبَةَ
“For the best prayer of a person is that which he prays in his house except the compulsory prayers.”
Sahih al-Bukhari (7290) and Sahih Muslim (1861)
Thus, it is wise for us to practise the matters stated above as an effort to protect oneself and one’s house from any disturbances. Indeed, Allah SWT is the best of protector and the One to depend on. Allah SWT states:
قُل لَّن يُصِيبَنَا إِلَّا مَا كَتَبَ اللَّـهُ لَنَا هُوَ مَوْلَانَا ۚ وَعَلَى اللَّـهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ
Say, "Never will we be struck except by what Allah has decreed for us; He is our protector." And upon Allah let the believers rely.”
Surah al-Tawbah (51)
Ibn Kathir said: All of us are under His will and determination. To Him we rely and depend on for He is the best of protector. (See Tafsir al-Quran al-‘Azim, 7/214)
Conclusion
To conclude, Islam permits the fencing of one’s house as long as the ruqyah recited is from the Quran which could protect us from the disturbances of the shaytan.
According to the above verses, it is clear that protection of oneself and one’s house can be done by reciting surah al-Baqarah and ayat Kursi as stated in the hadith of the Prophet PBUH.
Thus, ask your family members to always recite al-Quran and ma’thur zikr such as al-Ma’thurat, Hisnul Muslim and others. Hopefully, it can act as a protection for us and our family members from any disturbances.