There are many evils from which Muslim homes should be far removed.

The first evil that should be expelled from Muslim homes is Satan and his associates; Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {Indeed, Satan is an enemy to you; so take him as an enemy. He only invites his party to be among the companions of the Blaze.} [Quran 35:6]
One does not allow his enemies into his house, so how about our worst enemy who was the reason behind getting our father, Aadam, may Allah exalt his mention, out of Paradise and who is determined to keep you away from it as well! You must keep Satan away from your home.

How do you keep him away? There are some things that keep Satan away, and others that attract him to your house.

Things to keep Satan away: Among the things that keep Satan away from your home are:

• Recitation of Chapter Al-Baqarah: The Prophet said: “Do not make your houses like graveyards. The devil runs away from the house in which the chapter of Al-Baqarah is recited.” [Muslim]

• Mentioning the Name of Allah The Exalted: It was reported on the authority of Jaabir bin ‘Abdullaah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet said: “When a person enters his house and mentions the Name of Allah The Exalted at the time of entering it and while eating, the devil says (addressing himself), 'You have no place to spend the night [in that home] and no evening meal'; but when he enters without mentioning the Name of Allah The Almighty, the devil would say (addressing himself), 'You have found a place to spend the night', and when he does not mention the Name of Allah The Exalted before eating, he i.e. the devil says (addressing himself), 'You have found a place to spend the night and an evening meal'.” [Muslim]

Devils would find an apt habitat in the homes whose inhabitants forget to mention the Name of Allah The Exalted, and this means that they would spend their nights in your home!

Therefore, the Prophet said: “When a man enters his house, he should say: "Allahumma inni Asaluka khayra al-mawlij wa khayra al-makhraj, bismillaahi walajna wa bismillaahi kharajna wa ‘ala rabbina tawakkalna [which means: O Allah! I ask You for good both when entering and when leaving; in the name of Allah we have entered, and in the name of Allah we have gone out, and in Allah our Lord we trust.], and he should then greet his family (i.e. with Salaam) ” [Abu Daawood and At-Tabaraani] [Al-Albaani: Hasan by virtue of corroborating narrations]

• Performing various acts of worship: The devil can never be found where acts of worship are performed; the heart that is full of obedience to Allah The Exalted and the mention of His Name cannot be a suitable place or a habitat for devils. Whenever they whisper to a pious Muslim, he would mention the Name of Allah The Almighty and accordingly they would retreat and escape from him. Similarly, devils flee from homes where acts of worship are performed and where the Name of Allah The Almighty is mentioned.

Dear Muslim, the more your home is devoid of performing acts of worship and mentioning the Name of Allah The Almighty, the more the devil is likely to be present in it.

Things that attract Satan: Muslims should assign a great deal of care and attention to keep all that attracts devils away their home such as:

• Lying and falsehood: Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {Shall I inform you upon whom the devils descend?* They descend upon every sinful liar.} [Quran 26:221-222] The home which witnesses lying, backbiting, tale-bearing, and slander is more likely to be appealing to devils.
• Impurity: Another thing that would draw devils is an impure and dirty home; since devils are filthy creatures they would be attracted to dirtiness and filthiness.
• Images and dogs: Devils are drawn to images, statues, and dogs. This is why devils may appear in the form of black dogs. Therefore, the Prophet warned us about keeping dogs in Muslims homes.

A Muslim home should be deemed far above immoral and obscene songs: This purifies the home and makes a righteous one. In fact, such obscene songs are tools that Satan uses to lure people. Allah The Exalted informed us of this fact and warned us against this evil in the verse that reads (what means): {And incite [to senselessness] whoever you can among them with your voice and assault them with your horses and foot soldiers and become a partner in their wealth and their children and promise them." But Satan does not promise them except delusion.} [Quran 17:64]

Some scholars elaborated on that verse clarifying that Satan’s voice here refers to singing and musical instruments [flute]; therefore, such immoral songs are prohibited.

Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And of the people is he who buys the amusement of speech to mislead [others] from the way of Allah without knowledge and who takes it in ridicule. Those will have a humiliating punishment.} [Quran 31:6] Ibn Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him, was asked about this verse and said, “By Allah, {the amusement of speech} is singing”. Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “It means singing and buying a singer’s services.” [Ibn Abu Shaybah]

Ibraaheem narrated that ‘Abdullaah bin Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Singing implants and fosters hypocrisy in one’s heart.” [Al-Bayhaqi]

Indeed, it is a tangible reality in our society; one can easily see for himself such people who suffer from music-mania and have a morbid fascination with listening to immoral songs. Dear Muslim, notice how often such people recite the Noble Quran? Do they enjoy reciting it? Are their hearts softened by it?

Indeed, the Quran is the word of Allah The Exalted while such songs are the words of the devil, and the two opposites can never co-exist in one’s heart.

‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin Ghanm Al-Ash‘ari reported on the authority of Abu ‘Aamir, or Abu Maalik, Al-Ash‘ari, may Allah be pleased with them all, that the Prophet said: "From among my followers there will be some people who will consider illegal sexual intercourse, the wearing of silk [for men], the drinking of alcoholic drinks, and the use of musical instruments, as lawful. Some of them will stay near the side of a mountain and in the evening their shepherd will come to them with their sheep, when a poor comes to them asking for something [charity], but they would [refuse to give him any and would] say to him, 'Return to us tomorrow.' Allah The Almighty will destroy them during the night and will let the mountain fall on them, and He will transform others into monkeys and pigs and they will remain so until the Day of Resurrection." [Al-Bukhari] Such people would render adultery, men wearing silk, drinking alcohol, and musical instruments as allowable.

Dear Muslim, what do you think of such a heart that is full of love for these immoral songs and the temptations of various types of music? Do you think that such a heart would endure Jihaad (sacrifice for the sake of Allah)? Do you think that a ‘dancing’ nation would be capable of freeing its occupied sacred places? By Allah, no!

The Arabs fought in 1967 while singing Umm Kulthoom’s songs (a famous Egyptian female singer) and they faced an awful defeat. On the other hand, the Afghans have fought while reciting ‘Allahu Akbar’ [which means: Allah is the Greatest] and ‘La Ilaaha illa Allah’ [which means: none is truly worthy of worship but Allah]; they triumphed over the great empire of Communism despite the fact that all what they possessed were mere primitive weapons! So contemplate the difference between the two wars.

A nation that has been robbed of its lands, has been humiliated, and is weak enough to let others make its own decisions, such as the Jewish board or what may be called the ‘Council of International Injustice’, should not be dancing; such repulsive attitudes are for dissolute people. In fact, such immoral and obscene songs suit those who have indulged themselves in promiscuity and various worldly pleasures. Whereas serious people, who are determined to restore their occupied lands, given that what was taken by force can only be restored by force, are not among those who are fond of trivialities and blameworthy humor; they render their homes free of such immoral and obscene songs that are aired whether on T.V, radio, or any other device.

Safeguarding the Muslim Home from Evil - II