Is it permissible for the husband's relatives to enter the men's sitting room when the husband is not in the house?

Question : Honorable Shaykh! Is it permissible for the husband's relatives to enter the men's sitting room when the husband is not present, until the husband arrives? The husband is pleased with this, and only the wife is in the house. Is this considered seclusion (khalwah) that is prohibited? May Allah reward you with good.

Answer : Yes, if there is a barrier between the men's sitting room and the room where the woman is, such as a closed and locked door, there is no harm, provided the guests ask for permission.
She says to them, "Enter the sitting room," and there is no harm. However, if the house is not locked, meaning the door between the sitting room and the house is not locked, it is not permissible. If it is one man, I have no objection to it. If they are a group, the same applies. Sometimes I say that a group is worse than one, because they are a group, and they will inevitably look at the woman. Sometimes I say a group may be more severe than one, because if two wolves gather on a sheep, they eat it, which is worse than one wolf. In any case, the way to safety and to avoid doubt and suspicion is to have a locked door between the sitting room and the house, with the key in the wife's hand, or to set a specific time for them and arrive before that time.