Please let me know what the consensus is for reciting Surah Baqarah in a new home or on the purchase of a new car, etc? Does recitation of this Surah prevent evil? Please mention any evidence you have.

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

Reciting chapter two of the Quran at home is permissible whether the house is new or old. The Prophet said: "Do not take your homes as graves. Satan flees away from the house in which chapter Al-Baqarah [Quran 2] is being recited." [Muslim] He further said: "Recite chapter Al-Baqarah [Quran 2] as taking recourse to it is a blessing, and abandoning or neglecting it is a cause of grief, and the magicians cannot confront it." [Muslim]

As regards reading chapter Al-Baqarah in order to buy a car, this is something on which we do not know any evidence from the Sunnah of the Prophet . What is legislated to do when buying a car is to supplicate with the supplication which the Prophet taught us. He said: "Whoever marries a woman or buys a maidservant, or a camel, should say: "O Allaah, I ask You for the goodness within her [it] and the goodness that you have made her [it] inclined towards, and I take refuge with You from the evil within her [it] and the evil that you have made her [it] inclined towards." [Abu Daawood, Ibn Maajah, An-Nasaa'ee] Another narration reads: "When a person buys a camel, he should put his hand on its front head and then supplicates Allaah to bless it, and he should say: ''…." So, if a person buys a car and supplicates with this supplication, it will be acceptable from him. However, specifically reading chapter two, then this is something on which we do not know any evidence about.

Allaah Knows best.