Our Safe Homes

03/02/2011| IslamWeb

Security is a great blessing from Allah The Exalted. Allah The Exalted bestowed this blessing upon the people of Quraysh and He reminded them about this within the context of a command for them to worship Him; Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {Let them worship the Lord of this House, who has fed them, [saving them] from hunger and made them safe, [saving them] from fear.} [Quran 106:3-4].

 

A person gains the feeling of security, safety and tranquility from his faith in Allah The Exalted. The more faith a person has, the more he will have the feeling of security and the more the soul will be calm. Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {They who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice – those will have security, and they are [rightly] guided.} [Quran 6:82].

 

Of the matters that ensure security in a Muslim home is safeguarding the house and its occupants from going astray, from unfavorable situations, from harm, and from danger. Therefore, it is a requirement of a Muslim family to keep away from all that which goes against good manners and proper conduct, among themselves as well as with others, and to avoid any deviant conduct or anything that is not appropriate to say; in this way the Muslim home will become sacred and secure.

 

The Muslim family should take into consideration a number of issues:

 

ـ       Securing the home with plenty of supplications, Thikr (mentioningsandremembrances of Allah), and recitation of the Quran; the home in which the Noble Quran is read is filled with good and has very little evil, whereas the home in which the Quran is not read has much evil and very little good.

ـ       To supplicate when entering the home to expel Satan and prevent him from spending the night in the house. The supplication for entering is: "Allahumma innee as’aluka khayr al-mawlij wa khayr al-makhraj. Bismillaahi walajna, wa bismillaahi kharajna, wa ‘ala Allah rabbina tawakkalna" (O Allah, I ask You for the best entrance, and the best exit. In the name of Allah we enter, In the name of Allah we exit; and upon Allah our Lord we rely)."[Abu Daawood] Followed by the Islamic greeting of Salaam, even if there is no one in the house.

ـ       Mentioning the name of Allah The Almighty at the beginning of each meal to prevent Satan from eating from that meal.

ـ       Supplicating at the time of sexual intercourse to protect the offspring from Satan, by saying: "Bismillaah. Allahumma jannibna ash-shaytaan, wa jannib ash-shaytaan ma razaqtana. (In the name of Allah. O Allah, protect us from Satan, and protect what you bestow upon us [of offspring] from Satan)."[Al-Bukhari]

ـ       Supplicating when entering and exiting from a toilet to be protected from Satan, by saying before entering: "Allahumma Inni a‘oothu bika min al-khubuthi wa al-khabaa’ith. (O Allah, I seek refuge in you from the male and female offspring of Satan.)”[Al-Bukhari]

ـ       Supplicating when getting dressed and undressed. We say: "Allahumma laka’l-hamd anta kasawtaneeh. as’aluka khayrahu wa khayra ma suni‘a lah, wa a‘oothu bika min sharrihi, wa sharri ma suni‘a lah. (O Allah, all praise is due to You for You have clothed me with it, I ask You for its goodness and the good it was manufactured for, and I seek refuge in You from its evil, and the evil it was manufactured for.)"  [Abu Daawood and At-Tirmithi] 

 

Safety in the Kitchen:

 

There are a number of things that need to be taken into consideration when in the kitchen; these include:

ـ       Taking care when using a can opener because the sides of cans are left sharp after opening; they must be directly placed in the garbage bin after the contents have been removed.

ـ       When using a knife it should be held firmly. Cutting is best done on a wooden block to avoid cutting oneself.

ـ       When glass is broken it should be immediately swept up and placed into one or more bags, then placed into the garbage bin. Tiny invisible fragments can be collected by wiping the area with a damp cloth.

ـ       When lighting the cooker, the match should be lit first before turning the gas knob. In this way, gas will not leak into the air.

ـ       Before using the oven it is best to first leave the door open for a few minutes before putting it on. In this way any gas that may have accumulated inside it will be released.

ـ       Matches should not be thrown into the garbage bin except after making sure that the flame is out and the match is cool.

ـ       Take care not to scald one’s hand from the steam rising from food when it is being stirred on the cooker; also, before uncovering the cooking pot the flame should be turned down, and the cover carefully raised [in a way that will shield the person behind it].

ـ       When straining hot food use dry pot holders; wet pot holders heat up and may cause burns.

ـ       When needing to get something from a high place, use a ladder composed of two parts; if there is none in the house then use a strong chair and mount it carefully.

ـ       Turn off the gas cylinder itself or the gas valve after cooking.

ـ       A fire extinguisher and bag of sand in the kitchen are necessary.

 

Safety during Travel:

 

When a family travels for a number of days or months leaving their home, a number of measures should be considered:

ـ       Home keys should not be left with anyone except the members of the household; unless there is someone whose religion and honesty are totally verified.

ـ       All windows should be locked.

ـ       All water valves should be closed, especially the main valve.

ـ       The gas cylinder or supply should be tightly closed, so as to avoid the house being exposed to any type of danger.

ـ       Electricity should be disconnected from appliances, and it is better to shut down the main switch.

 

Safety of Children:

 

Families should provide safety for their children by a number of means, and these include:

ـ       Keeping breakable objects away from the reach of children.

ـ       Keeping sharp objects, such as knives and scissors, away from the reach of children.

ـ       Warning children about the dangers of fire, and from playing with the knobs on the cooker. The cooker can be raised somewhat so that little children cannot reach it. Also, there are types of child safe cookers that will not release gas unless pressed inwards while turning.

ـ       Medications should be kept out of reach of children and stored in a small cabinet away from children.

ـ       The use of plastic tools is preferred as these can be in children's rooms.

ـ       Do not place chairs on balconies or terraces when there are children around.

ـ       Do not place electrical plugs in low spots so that they will not be within the reach of children. In addition, there are plastic child safety plugs that can be inserted in an unused socket.

ـ       Be cautious of exposed electrical wires; safety conscious people will plan the interior layout of their home and locate sockets where needed so as to avoid wires running along the floor.

ـ       Responding quickly and sensibly in case of danger. When the residents of the house are experienced, knowledgeable, and sensible in their actions and reactions, then the risk of danger is decreased. In this case, should any danger occur then, with the will of Allah it will be overcome.

ـ       If any gas leaks from pipes and the air becomes full of gas, the gas knob should be quickly and securely shut, and immediately the nearest window should be opened.

ـ       Should gas happen to leak out during the night time, no one should turn on any light switches, even if it is totally dark, because when light switches are turned on a spark results which could trigger the gas in the air to explode, may Allah forbid.

ـ       When sewage drains become clogged, take care that the sewage does not seep under the carpets or furniture.

ـ       In case of fire, fire extinguishing liquid should immediately be sprayed; therefore, a fire extinguisher and a sack of sand should always be available in the home; or a fire extinguishing blanket made of materials that are fire resistant that can be thrown over the fire to prevent oxygen from reaching it and thus, preventing it from burning. The fire department should be contacted should the fire happen to be uncontrollable.

 

Issues related to the Doors of a Muslim Home:

 

A Muslim home is secure and sacred and a place where no one should enter except with the will and permission of its residents. Service people such as the man reading the electricity meter, the newspaper man, the milkman, the gas cylinder man, and so on, and people who are involved with the items and services needed by the home will sometimes arrive at the door. Also, at the door may be a guest or an inquirer. They may come to the door, therefore the following should be observed:

ـ       The door should be closed well and not left open.

ـ       The door should have a small observation lens in it enabling the person at the door to be seen before they are spoken to or permitted to enter. A small opening should be available either in the door itself or to its side to enable materials to be exchanged; and should be tightly closed.

ـ       Electricity and water meters should be installed outside the home so that men do not need to enter to read them.

ـ       Lighting the area outside the door.

ـ       A door bell or intercom can be used to talk or inquire with anyone at the door.

ـ       A mailbox should be placed outside the house door.

ـ       Warning children about opening the door until both the person at the door and his objective is clear.

ـ       For a home delivery, a woman can use the opening in the door to give money to the seller, and he can then leave the purchased item at the door. After he leaves, the item can be brought in.

 

The Home Telephone:

 

ـ       When answering the phone the Islamic greeting should be said, and also when talking to people in general.

ـ       Telephone use should be limited. Long conversations, stories, and so on, on the phone should be avoided, as phone conversations are not suitable for this.

ـ       Crank calls should be dealt with firmly.