Question
What should we say for protection when leaving the house? What are the adabs of leaving and entering one’s home? What is the du’a to stop Shaytan or Jinn from entering our house?
Is there a sahih Hadith that says that Allah will appoint 70,000 angels to protect a person, if they say; “Bismillahi tawakkaltu ‘alallah”, when leaving the house?
Answer
Du’as when leaving the home
1. When one leaves the house, he should recite ‘Bismillahi tawakkaltu ‘alallahi la hawla wala quwwata illa billah’
Translation: In the name of Allah, I place my trust on Allah, there is no power (to do good) and no might (to abstain from evil) except with the assistance of Allah).
Sayyiduna Anas ibn Malik (radiyallahu’anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu’alaihi wasallam) said, ‘Whoever recites this dua, it is proclaimed to him, ‘You have been guided, you have been sufficed (i.e. your needs have been taken care of), you have been protected’ and Shaytan leaves his path.’
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 5054; Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith: 3426)
Imam Tirmidhi has classified this Hadith as hasan sahih (authentic).
2. He should also recite, ‘Bismillahi tawakkaltu alallahi, Allahumma inniy a’oodhu bika an adilla aw udalla aw azilla aw uzalla aw azlima aw uzlama alayya aw ajhala aw yajhala alayya’.
Translation: In the name of Allah, I place my trust on Allah. O Allah! Indeed, I seek refuge in you for that I misguide anyone or that I become misguided or that I force others to err or that I be forced to do so, or that I oppress or become oppressed or I act ignorantly or any act of ignorance be carried out on me. (Sunan Abi Dawud hadith 5053; al-Tirmidhi, Hadith: 3427)
Imam Tirmidhi (rahimahullah) and others have classified this hadith as sahih (authentic).
3. If one intends going to the masjid, he should recite: Allahumma inni as-aluka bi haqqis sa ilina ‘alayka wa as-aluka bi haqqi mamshaya hadha, fa inni lam akhruj asharaw wa la bataraw wa la riya-aw wa la sum’ah, wa kharajtu ittiqa-a sakhatika wab tigha-a mardatika fa as-aluka an tu’idhani minan nari, wa an taghfirali dhunubi, innahu la yaghfirudh dhunaba illa anta.
Sayyiduna Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (radiyallahu’anhu) said, ‘When a person recites this, Almighty Allah turns his special attention towards him and 70,000 angels beg Allah to forgive him.’ (Sunan ibn Majah, Hadith 778; Musnad Ahmad vol.3 pg.21)
This Hadith has been classified as hasan (soundly authentic) by several muhaddithin, viz. Hafiz al-Dimyati (al-Matjar al-Rabih pg.403); Hafiz al-‘Iraqi (Takhrijul-Ihya vol.1 pg.291), Hafiz Ibn Hajar (Nata’ijul-afkar vol.1 pg.272) and others. (See Raf’ul-Manara pgs.171-172)
Look towards the sky
4. When Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) would leave the house he would look towards the sky and recite the dua mentioned in no.2. (Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 5053 – also see al-Adhkar pgs.23-25)
When entering
When entering the house, one should recite Bismillah, he should make some dhikr of Allah and he should make salam. Sayyiduna Jabir (radiyallahu’anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) said that when one remembers Allah (i.e. takes the name of Allah) upon entering his house, Shaytan announces (to his fellow Shayatin) ‘There is no place of residence for you in this house.’ (Sahih Muslim)
Making salam upon entry is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an (Suran Nur 61). Rasulullah (sallallahu’alaihi wasallam) had advised Sayyiduna Anas (radiyallahu’anhu) that salam upon entry will create baraka (blessings). (Sunan Tirmidhi)
When one enters an empty house, he should make salam in the following manner, ‘Assalamu alayna wa ala ibadillahis saliheen’ (al-Adabul-Mufrad of Bukhari and Radul-Muhtar)
5. One should also recite the following dua: ‘Allahumma inniy as-aluka khayral mawlaj, wa khayral makhraj. Bismillahi walaja wa bismillahi kharaja wa alallahi rabbina tawakkaltu.’ (Sunan Abi Dawud hadith 5055)
And Allah Ta’ala knows best
Answered by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar