Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Kindly elaborate "keep to your house" as per below hadis.

Allah bless and helps us all

Allah hafiz

Nehal

Uqbah bin Amr (r.a.) said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): "How can salvation be achieved?"

He (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, "Control your tongue, keep to your house, and weep over your sins."

Hadith At-Tirmidhi Chapter 17 The book of Prohibited actions from Riyad-us-Saliheen Volume 2

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Answer:

Sitting on roads rights

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

The exact Arabic terms used in the hadith and translated into English as ‘keep to your houses are: ‘…wa yasa-uk bayt-uk.’

It was customary and a habit of the Arabs at the time of the Prophet (saws) to sit outside their houses, which although might have had some good, gave rise to a lot of evil like blocking of the roads, eve-teasing, indulging in vain talk, talking behind people’s back, etc. The Messenger of Allah (saws) absolutely disliked this custom and guided the believers to keep to their houses, as that would build for greater purity of their hearts and the fulfillments of the rights of the people of their household.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.248 Narrated by Abu Said Al Khudri

The Prophet (saws) said, "Beware! Avoid sitting on the roads." They (the people) said, "O Allah's Messenger (saws)! We can't help sitting (on the roads) as these are (our places) where we have talks." The Prophet (saws) said, "If you refuse but to sit, then pay the road its right." They asked, "What is the right of the road, O Allah's Messenger (saws)?" He said, "Lowering your gaze, refraining from harming others, returning greetings, and enjoining what is good, and forbidding what is evil."

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 2623 Narrated by Mu'adh ibn Anas al-Juhani

I fought along with the Prophet (saws) in such and such battles. The people occupied much space and encroached on the road. The Prophet (saws) sent an announcer to announce among the people: ‘Those who occupy much space or encroach on the road will not be credited with (the rewards of their) jihad.’

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan