Dear Brothers and Sisters!

One of the most important concepts of Islam regarding individual and social life is privacy. It means “personal privacy, things that are not told to others and kept secret and the state of being private”. Today, in almost all legal and moral systems, privacy and protection of private life have been accepted as a fundamental human right. Our religion, on the other hand, has emphasised the privacy and sacredness of privacy, which is the special space of ​​the person, from the very beginning. Allah (swt) mentions in the Quran; “O believers! Do not enter any house other than your own until you have asked for permission and greeted its occupants. This is best for you, so perhaps you will be mindful.”[1]

Being a source of a civilised life with its principles and values, Islam considers the privacy of all people sacred.

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

One of the basic principles that keeps the society alive and ensures peace and security is to respect mutual rights and to protect privacy. The houses in which people live are the most important private spaces. The Prophet (saw) has said: “It is not lawful for anyone to look inside another’s house without permission. If he looks, it means he has entered (the home)…”[2] As important as protecting the privacy of others, it is also important to protect our own privacy. Furnishings as simple as curtains, one of the most important decorations of homes owned by Muslims, have a meaning beyond aesthetic concerns. It prevents those who are not from the household from looking into the house.

Dear Jama’ah!

With the marriages we have established, our most private circle begins. The husband and wife relationships must involve deep intimacy for each other. On this note, Rasulullah (saw) said; “The worst person according to Allah on the Day of Judgment is the one who reveals their secret after sharing their privacy with their spouse.”[3] Our family secrets should never be disclosed and should be taken with us to our grave. The beauty of our body, entrusted to us by Allah (swt), as an ornament, is our privacy. Regardless of whether it is a woman or a man, we have to preserve our bodily privacy in accordance with the Islamic covering commands. The Hijab is an order of Allah (swt) that will last until the Day of Judgment to His believing servants.

Dear Brothers and Sisters! 

We must protect our privacy on social media, which is one of the most important mass media tools of our time. We should avoid exposing our private life to the public. We should not open our spouse and children, especially their private situations, to the eyes on social media. We ourselves should avoid glancing at such posts. We should not violate the privacy of others with our eyes and ears.

May Allah (swt) make us among the decent servants who protect their privacy and do not violate the privacy of others. Ameen.

[1] Surah An-Nur 24:27

[2] Tirmizi, Salât, 148

[3] Müslim, Nikâh 123, 124. Ayrıca bk. Ebû Dâvûd, Edeb 32.

Khutba – One’s Special Space: Their Privacy