One day, Fatimah entered the house and was crying. Her mother saw her and asked: What are you crying about, Fatimah? Fatimah said: I went to visit my friend Hibah, and when I arrived at her house, I found the door wide open. I pushed the door and entered her house, and I began calling out to her.
Her mother Hibah came out of the kitchen, and when she saw me, she asked: How did you enter here, Fatimah? I said to her: I entered through the door. So she answered me, angry at me: Why didn’t you knock first? So I told her I found the door wide open. She said to me: You are mistaken, Fatimah. You should have knocked so I could answer, and now what do you want, Fatimah? I answered her: I want my friend Hibah to play with her.
Her mother Hibah said: No, Fatimah, Hibah is doing her homework now and won’t be able to play with you. Go away and come at another convenient time. Therefore, Fatimah returned to her house, crying and sad, and she felt sad because of her mother Hibah’s words. She resolved not to play with Hibah ever again.
When her mother Fatimah heard the story, she looked at her in sadness, and said to her: My daughter, you have committed many mistakes today. Fatimah answered: I committed mistakes, mother? What are they? Her mother said: The manners of visiting require preparation, Fatimah, and you completely ignored these manners, Fatimah.
Her mother said: Fatimah, you must knock first when visiting anyone. You should knock or ring the doorbell before entering, and wait for someone to answer you and invite you to enter. Even if the door is wide open, you shouldn’t just walk away and enter.
Then there is another mistake, Fatimah: You should offer greeting first, when you enter and not wander around the house, lest you stumble upon something that household doesn’t want anyone to see. Nor does it behoove you, my daughter, to be angry with your friend’s mother because she requested your permission and returning in a timely manner.
Because our beautiful Islam recommends this to us. Fatimah asked: How is that, mother? Her mother said: Haven’t you heard, Fatimah, God Almighty says in Surah An-Nur: “O you who have believed, enter not houses other than your own houses until you have asked permission and greeted their owners. That is better for you, that you may remember. And if you find no one therein, enter not until permission has been given to you, and greet them with a greeting from Allah, blessed and good.” Surah An-Nur verse 27.
So did you understand your mistake now, Fatimah? Fatimah answered: Yes, mother. I understood. I was mistaken, and I won’t return to such behavior a second time. Her mother said to her: And now, my dear, to contact your friend’s mother to apologize to her for this bad conduct.
Indeed, Fatimah called to her friend Hibah’s house and found her mother answering the phone. She apologized to her for what she had done. Her mother Hibah accepted the apology and asked Fatimah to come visit her friend Hibah whenever she wished, because she had finished her academic tasks. Fatimah rejoiced and went to her friend, happy because she had corrected her mistake and had learned a new lesson.