Sunnah etiquettes when moving into a new house

Bismillahi Ta’ala

Walaikum Assalam Warahmatullah

There is no specific action that has been particularly sanctioned for moving into a new home. However, ahadeeth do mention about engaging in activities which will establish the intended benefit from the new dwelling.

We acquire houses and make them into homes. A physical purpose of this is to save ourselves from the harsh elements of outside world, and preserve our physical safety. At the same time, a home is expected to be a barrier and protection from the onslaught of all the spiritual ills from outside, whether from sharr (evil) of society, or from evil of shayateen.

The primary way of building this protection are good deeds. Hence, the beginning of one’s life in a new house should start with doing good and righteous actions.

Ulama’ thus encourage to engage in ibadaat like performing nafil salah, or reciting Qur’an in the new home.

One hadeeth mentions that a house in which Surah Baqarah is recited, then shaytan runs from that house. Another narration mentions that Surah Baqarah is a means of barakah (blessing) for a house and a protection from sihr (magic). (Saheeh Muslim)

A point of caution is that, while these actions from ahadeeth apply to all homes, they can be used for starting a righteous action in the new home as well. However, they should be done with full sincerity of beseeching the blessing and protection from Allah. For this it is best that the people of the household carry these actions out individually, and often. There is no need for establishing a proper gathering for this purpose as that can bring forth show-off and riya’.

Similarly, engage in nafil salah at home with full intent of livening the home with spiritual life. One hadeeth shareef mentions to not make homes into dead graveyards such that no dhikr, salah or Quran may be recited therein. So engage in these activities to blow spiritual life into the new house. (Saheeh Muslim)

In conclusion you may do the following:

• Clean the house of any najasah that may have been left there from construction or past tenants.
• Choose a specific place in the home (corner of a living area etc.) to establish it as a Musallaa. This place should always be kept clean, and males can use it for purpose of performing salah at home. Women should have similar designated place in their rooms. This space will remind oneself of engaging in ibadah regularly.
• Make routine early on to recite Surah Baqarah on daily basis for a few days to draw immense barakah from Allah. Thereafter, you can replace this time with regular Qur’an recital daily.
• Make an effort to complete all the sunnahs and nawafil for all the daily prayers. Increase upon it with Ishraq, Chasht (Duhaa), Awwabeen and Tahajjud to seek the most benefit and protection from Allah.
• As a means of additional blessing, prepare something good in food and share with the neighbors with intention of fulfilling their rights. It will help create a bond with them, and they will feel at ease from their new neighbor.
• Engage in abundance of du’a for the preservation and barakah of not only the physical house, rather the complete home with its dwellers from any and all forms of evil onslaughts.

May Allah accept the new home for you, and May Allah make it a place of ease, comfort and aafiya, Ameen.

Wallahu A’lam

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Faisal al-Mahmudi