Satan through Allah’s protection—Glorified and Exalted is He. Indeed, Satan despairs of him and realizes that he has no way to overcome him.

Hence, the aforementioned hadith states that when Satan hears a person remember Allah upon entering his home and when eating, he says, “There is neither lodging nor supper for you.” That is, he says this to his troops and helpers. Thus, he and his helpers despair of sharing the home and food of one who remembers Allah. The heedless person, however, is never free of such sharing and cannot escape it. As Allah Most High says: “Muster against them your cavalry and infantry, share with them in wealth and children, and entice them with promises—but Satan promises them nothing but delusion.” 1 This applies to the heedless. As for those who remember Allah, their condition is as Allah says: “Indeed, you shall have no authority over My servants, and your Lord is sufficient as a Guardian.” 2

In his commentary on this verse, Shaykh Abd al-Rahmān ibn Sa'dī—may Allah have mercy on him—said: “Many commentators have stated that Satan’s sharing in wealth and children includes failing to mention Allah’s name before eating, drinking, and sexual intercourse, and that if Allah’s name is not mentioned on such occasions, Satan shares in them, as stated in the hadith.” That is, the aforementioned hadith.

It is recommended that a Muslim offer the greeting of peace upon entering a home, whether it is his own or someone else’s, and whether or not anyone is present, because Allah Most High says: “When you enter houses, greet one another with a greeting from Allah, blessed and good.” 3 In his commentary on this verse, Ibn Sa'dī—may Allah have mercy on him—said: “‘When you enter houses’—the word ‘houses’ is indefinite