#264: Ruling on Leaving Clothes and Shoes Outside through the Night

290. Question

” Assalamu alaykum everyone. Please Admin, I have a question: there is this belief that clothes and shoes shouldn’t be left outside overnight, so I want to know if its Islamic. This scenario is in a house fenced, and belonging to only one nuclear family. Jazakumullahu khairan”

ANSWER

Wa alaykum Salām Warahmatullāh Wabarakātuh

Beloved one, there is nothing in the Sharī’a that forbids leaving clothes or shoes outside through the night.

And it doesn’t matter whether its a fenced house or not, or whether its a nuclear family or not. Rather, what some of the People of Ruqyah mentioned is that it is safer to always keep your belongings in the house whether shoes or clothes due to the presence of Jinns and the men that make Charms of Envy.

Not only to do that, but to close the gates and doors of your home with Bismillah

In the Hadīth of Jābir – radiyallāhu anhu – that was recorded by Imām Bukhārī – rahimahullāh – the Rasūl – salallāhu alayhi wasallam – said:

( إِذَا كَانَ جُنْحُ اللَّيْلِ أَوْ أَمْسَيْتُمْ فَكُفُّوا صِبْيَانَكُمْ ، فَإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَنْتَشِرُ حِينَئِذٍ ، فَإِذَا ذَهَبَ سَاعَةٌ مِنْ اللَّيْلِ فَخَلُّوهُمْ ، وَأَغْلِقُوا الْأَبْوَابَ ، وَاذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ ، فَإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لَا يَفْتَحُ بَابًا مُغْلَقًا ، وَأَوْكُوا قِرَبَكُمْ وَاذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ ، وَخَمِّرُوا آنِيَتَكُمْ وَاذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ وَلَوْ أَنْ تَعْرُضُوا عَلَيْهَا شَيْئًا، وَأَطْفِئُوا مَصَابِيحَكُمْ )

“When the night has approached, or evening has come, restrain your children (from wandering about) because the Shaytān move about at that time. Then when a portion of the night has elapsed, you may allow them, and close the doors and mention the Name of Allāh. This is because the Shaytān does not open a closed door. And close your Water Pots and mention the Name of Allāh. And close your plates and mention the Name of Allāh, even if that is by placing something upon it. And turn off your lights.”

And in the Musnad of Imām Ahmad:

( أَغْلِقُوا الْأَبْوَابَ بِاللَّيْلِ وَأَطْفِئُوا السُّرُجَ وَأَوْكُوا الْأَسْقِيَةَ وَخَمِّرُوا الطَّعَامَ وَالشَّرَابَ وَلَوْ أَنْ تَعْرُضُوا عَلَيْهِ بِعُودٍ )

“Close the doors at night and turn off the Lamps. Tie the Water Skins and cover food and water even if it is with Wood”

Imām Ibn AbdilBarr – rahimahullāh – said about these Ahādith:

“In this Hadīth is the commandment to shut the doors of houses at night. And this is a Sunnah that was commanded as a mercy to Mankind from the Shayātīn among Jinn and Man.”

Therefore, if you leave your shoes and clothes outside the house, it isn’t a sin. Rather, you are encouraged to say Bismillah when you do so.

We ask Allāh to protect us and you from the plots and effects of the Shayātīn

Āmīn

Bārakallāhu fīkum
Jazākumullāhu Khayran

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