Right To Privacy In Islam

What is right to privacy? It is the ability of an individual or group to keep their lives and personal affairs out of public view. So the question is what does Islam say about privacy? People think that Islam does not allow people to have privacy, in other words they say that why does Islam interrupt between one’s private life? They actually have a misconception that Islam does not allow them to enjoy their private life. The main misconception is that they do not make any difference between “Islam” and “Islamic Political System”. Islam as an ideology stops oneself from doing any wrong thing even in the privacy. Till the time one is alone one cannot commit any sin. But if one commits any wrong in the privacy the Islamic System cannot punish him/her unless there is an eye witness evidence. Family privacy consists of two parts: the first part is the prohibition of strangers’ entrance and interference in a family privacy and the second is related to each family member’s privacy (such as parents, spouses and children) toward each other. Now let us see what talks about one’s privacy. The Almight Allah says: O Believers, do not enter other houses than your own until you have the approval of the inmates and have wished them peace; this is the best way for you: it is expected that you will observe it “. (Qur’an 24:27). The Commandments being given above are meant to prevent the very birth of evil, to reform society and root out the causes responsible for the creation and spread of evil. The privacy system in Islam does not allow anyone to interrupt in the private life of other person. In fact one cannot enter or look into the window of other person without permission or without the willingness of other person. In Islam religion law, the rights of family members towards each other are determined and a distinguished privacy for each member is defined. At family, parents enjoy their own privacy and children are obliged to observe the parents’ privacy. Deliberate invasion of one’s privacy by whatever means and degree is deemed a serious offence with far-reaching consequences. It falls under the category of inflicting harm or damage on others, which cannot be tolerated in Islam. House designs must promote protection of human privacy.
In the same vein, if people will be aware of the importance of the private parts of their body and their implications, they will certainly care about the restricted and private areas of their houses as well. A home is a microcosm of human culture and civilization many aspects of which are never accessible to the public. Even visitors, despite the Islamic unparalleled emphasis on hospitality, do not enjoy absolute freedom to wander inside their host’s house which the house design and the arrangement inside it emphatically enforce. It is better for us to be on the safer side and follow the teachings of Islam by believing in it. Islam calls to peace and salvation in this world and the world hereafter. Let us pray all of us get success in this world and the world hereafter—-Aameen!.