Anas said that he was ten years old when the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to Madina. He said, "My mothers decided that I would serve him and I served him for ten years. He died when I was twenty. I am the person who knows best about the business of the veil. The first instance that was revealed occurred when the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, built a room for Zaynab bint Jahsh. He celebrated the wedding there, invited the people who came, ate and then left. A group remained with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. They stayed for a long time and then the Prophet went out and I went out hoping that they would leave. He walked and I walked with him until he came to the threshold of 'A'isha's room. Then, thinking that they would have left, he returned and I returned with him. He went to Zaynab but they were still sitting there. He left again and I left with him until he once more reached the threshold of 'A'isha's room. When he thought that they would have gone, he went back again and I went back with him. This time they had indeed left. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, then put up a curtain between me and him, and the veil was revealed."

Tha'laba ibn Abi Malik al-Qurazi reported that he rode to 'Abdullah ibn Suwayd, one of the Banu Haritha ibn al-Harith, to ask him about the three times of nakedness. 'Abdullah used to observe these times. Tha'laba said, "'Abdullah asked, 'What do you want?' I replied, 'I want to observe them.' He said, 'When I take off my garment at midday, none of my family who have reached puberty comes to me without my permission unless I call them. Nor do they do that when it is Fajr until people know that I have prayed, nor when I have prayed 'Isha' and removed my clothes so that I can sleep.'"

'A'isha said, "I used to eat date and butter mixture with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. 'Umar visited and the Prophet invited him and he ate. 'Umar's hand touched my fingers and he said, 'Oh! If I were to be obeyed about you, no eye would ever see you!' Then the veil was revealed."

Umm Habiba bint Qays (Khawla) was heard to say, "My hand and that of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, mixed together in the same vessel."

'Abdullah ibn 'Umar said, "When someone enters a house which is not lived in, he should say, 'Peace be upon the righteous slaves of Allah.'"

Ibn 'Abbas said, "The verse, 'Do not enter houses other than your own until you have asked permission and greeted their inhabitants' (24

27) has an exception made to it when Allah says, 'There is nothing wrong in your entering houses where no one lives where there is some service for you. Allah knows what you divulge and what you conceal.'"

Regarding the ayat, "Those you own as slaves should ask your permission to enter" (24

56), Ibn 'Umar said, "That applies to men rather than women."

Ibn 'Umar reported that when his children had reached puberty and he had withdrawn to his room, none of them entered where he was except with his permission.

'Alqama said, "A man came to 'Abdullah and said, 'Should I ask permission to go in where my mother is?' He said, 'At all times. Do you want to see her (exposed)?'"

Muslim ibn Nadhir said, "A man asked Hudhayfa, 'Should I ask permission to enter where my mother is?' He replied, 'If you were not to ask her permission, you would see what you dislike.'"

Musa ibn Talha said, "I entered where my mother was with my father. He went in and I followed him. He turned and pushed me in the chest so that I fell on my bottom. Then he said, 'Will you enter without permission!'"

Jabir said, "A man should ask permission from his son and his mother, even if she is old, his brother, his sister and his father."

before the Dawn Prayer and when you have undressed at noon and after theNight Prayer - three times of nakedness for you.' (24:56) Ibn 'Abbassaid, 'He did not command these individuals to ask permission other thanat these three times of nakedness.' Then he went on to say, 'The versein Surat an-Nur:57 is: 'Once your children have reached puberty, they shouldask your permission to enter as those before them also asked permission.'"

'Abdullah said, "A man asks permission of his father, his mother, his brother and his sister."

'Ubayd ibn 'Umayr reported that Abu Musa al-Ash'ari asked permission of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, but he did not grant him permission. It seemed that he was busy. Abu Musa came back and 'Umar had finished. He said, "Didn't I hear the voice of 'Abdullah ibn Qays? Give him permission to enter." He was told, "He has gone away," so he sent after him. Abu Musa said, "We were commanded to behave like that (i.e. to go away after having asked permission to enter three times)." 'Umar said, "Bring me a clear proof of it." He then went to the gathering of the Ansar and questioned them. They said, "Only the youngest of us will attest to that - Abu Sa'id al-Khudri." He went with Abu Sa'id. 'Umar said, "Is something of what the may Allah bless him and grant him peace,, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, commanded hidden from me? Doing business in the markets distracted me," i.e. going out to trade.

Regarding the person who asks for permission to enter before he gives the greeting, Abu Hurayra said, "He is not given permission until he has first given the greeting."

Abu Hurayra said, "When someone comes in and does not say, 'Peace be upon you,' then say, 'No,' until he brings the key which is the greeting (salam)."

Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If a man looks into your house and you take some pebbles and gouge out his eye, there is no fault in you."

Anas said, "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was standing in prayer and a man looked into his room. He took an arrow from his quiver and aimed it at his eyes."