The home is a blessing. Allah says:
“And Allah has made for you in your homes an abode…”[al-Nahl 16:80]
Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“Here Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, is mentioning His complete blessing to His slaves: He has given them homes which are a peaceful abode for them, to which they retreat as a haven which covers them and gives them all kinds of benefits.”
What makes a home blessed?
Here are 40 recommendations by Sh Muhammed Saalih al- Munajjid on building a Muslim Home
(excerpted from his book, ‘The Muslim Home: 40 Recommendations’)
1- Making a good choice when choosing a wife:
“A woman may be married for four things: her wealth, her lineage, her beauty or her religion. Choose the one who is religious, may your hands be rubbed with dust [i.e., may you prosper]!” (Agreed upon).
2- It is also essential to look at the situation of the prospective husband who is proposing marriage to the Muslim woman.
“If there comes to you one with whose religion and character you are pleased, then marry your daughter [or sister, etc.] to him, otherwise there will be fitnah and great corruption in the land.”
3- Striving to guide ones wife
4- Making the home a place for the remembrance of Allah
5- Spiritual training for the members of the household – enjoining night-prayers, giving charity, fasting on al-Ayyaam al-Beyd (the 13th, 14th and 15th of each Hijri month), Mondays and Thursdays, Taasoo’aa’ and ‘Aashooraa’ (the 9th and 10th of Muharram), ‘Arafaah, and frequently in Muharram and Sha’baan.
6- Paying attention to adhkaar and Sunnah du’a’s that have to do with the home:
Mention the name of Allah upon entering home, and recite ‘Bismillaah, tawakkaltu ‘ala Allah, laa hawla wa laa quwwata illaa Billaah (In the name of Allah, I put my trust in Allah, there is no help and no strength except in Allah) upon going out of the house.
7- Siwaak
8- Continuously reciting Surah al-Baqarah in the house to ward off the Shaytan
9- Teaching the family islamic knowledge in the home
10- Start building an Islamic “library” in your home: books, audios
11- Inviting good and righteous people and seekers of knowledge to visit the home.
12- Learning the Islamic rulings with regard to houses. These include: Praying in the house, Seeking permission to enter one’s house.
13- One should not stay alone overnight in the house
14- Not sleeping on the roof of a house that has no protecting wall
15- Pet cats do not make vessels naajis (impure) if they drink from them, or make food naajis if they eat from it.
16- Knowing the advantages of khushoo’ in Salah; expiation of previous sins, so long as they were not major sins, and the reward recorded is in proportion to the degree of khushoo’.
17- Striving to offer du’a’ at the appropriate times during the prayer, especially in sujood
18- Adhkaar to be recited after prayer
19- Pay attention to nawafil (supererogatory) prayers, because they make up for anything lacking in the fard (obligatory) prayers
20- Removing anything that may distract the worshipper:
Not praying when there is food prepared that one wants to eat, when one needs to answer the call of nature, when one feels sleepy. Not praying behind someone who is talking (or sleeping) and not occupying oneself with smoothing the ground in front of one
21- Avoid anything that will distract others from their prayer:
Not disturbing others with one’s recitation, Not turning around during prayer (including the heart and eyes), Not raising one’s gaze to the heavens, Not spitting in front of one when praying, Trying not to yawn when praying, Not putting one’s hands on one’s hips when praying, Not letting one’s clothes hang down (sadl) during prayer, Not resembling animals
22- Spreading kindness in the home; Helping one’s wife with the housework, being affectionate towards and joking with the members of the family
23- Resisting bad manners in the home. Hinting at punishment by hanging up the whip where the members of the household can see it.
24- Beware of non-mahrem relatives entering upon women when their husbands are absent.
25- Men and women should sit separately during family visits.
26- Be aware of the dangers of having male drivers and female servants in the house.
27- Kick immoral people out of your houses.
28- Beware of the dangers of TV and its effects and ability to influence family members.
29- Beware of the evils of the telephone.
30- You have to remove everything that contains symbols of the false religions of the kuffar or their gods and objects of worship.
31- Removing pictures of animate beings.
32- Do not allow smoking in your homes.
33- Do not keep dogs in your homes.
34- Avoid too much decoration in your homes (keep it simple).
35- Choosing a good location and design of home.
E.g.: close to a mosque, and toilets are not sited in such a way that one faces the qiblah when using them.
36- Choosing a spacious house with plenty of amenities.
37- Paying attention to health-related matters such as ventilation, natural light and so on.
38- Choosing the neighbour before the house.
39- Paying attention to necessary repairs in the home, and making sure that the amenities are in good working order.
40- Paying attention to the family’s health and safety procedures.
“O you who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your families a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not, (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do that which they are commanded.”
[al-Tahreem 66:6]