Which is better: applying this Sunnah, or the practice of some people who put a note on the door saying "Do not knock, I am busy" or something of that sort?
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The questioner : Which is better: applying this Sunnah, which is to knock on the door and be told to go back, or the practice of some people who put a note on the door saying "Do not knock, I am busy" or something of that sort?
The Shaykh : Putting up a note is more comfortable.
The questioner : But it misses the Sunnah.
The Shaykh : Never, because having someone knock on the door disturbs me, especially in hotels. Hotels do not have, for example, a far-off area where one can sleep away from the door; you find someone sleeping right by the door. So if you put up this warning note, no one knocks on the door.
The questioner : Does the one who knocks have to read it?
The Shaykh : Yes, if he reads it and goes back, that is ... because the statement may include what is broader than the utterance of the tongue, and writing is a statement. Allah named the Qur'an a statement and also named it a book. Yes, that is correct.
The Shaykh : Putting up a note is more comfortable.
The questioner : But it misses the Sunnah.
The Shaykh : Never, because having someone knock on the door disturbs me, especially in hotels. Hotels do not have, for example, a far-off area where one can sleep away from the door; you find someone sleeping right by the door. So if you put up this warning note, no one knocks on the door.
The questioner : Does the one who knocks have to read it?
The Shaykh : Yes, if he reads it and goes back, that is ... because the statement may include what is broader than the utterance of the tongue, and writing is a statement. Allah named the Qur'an a statement and also named it a book. Yes, that is correct.