Question Summary:
What are the sunnahs of the house warming event?

Question Detail:

When we do a House Warming event, what are the Sunnahs to be followed. Is it necessary to say Azan first and then recite a Surah from The Holy Quran - eg. Sura Al Bakarah.

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
A housewarming party is a party traditionally held within approximately 10 days of moving into a new residence. It is an occasion for the hosts to present their new home to their friends, post moving, and for friends to give gifts to furnish the new home. Housewarming parties are generally informal. Usually there are no planned activities besides a possible tour.[1]
A house whether owned or rented is amongst the many bounties of Allah for which we should express our gratitude to Allah. Consider the following hadith:
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ قَالَ: «مَا أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَى عَبْدٍ نِعْمَةً فَعَلِمَ أَنَّهَا مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ إِلَّا كُتِبَ لَهُ شُكْرُهَا، وَمَا عَلِمَ مِنْ عَبْدِ نَدَامَةً عَلَى ذَنْبٍ إِلَّا غُفِرَ لَهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرَهُ، وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَشْتَرِي الثَّوْبَ بِالدِّينَارِ فَيَلْبَسُهُ فَيَحْمَدُ اللَّهَ فَمَا يَبْلُغُ رُكْبَتَيْهِ حَتَّى يُغْفَرَ لَهُ»
‘Aa’ishah, radiyalahu anhaa, narrates that the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, said, “Allah does not bless a slave with a bounty, and the slave acknowledges that is from Allah, except it written that he has thanked Allah for this bounty. And a slave does not express regret over a sin except that it is forgiven before he even seeks forgiveness. And indeed, a person purchases a cloth with a dirham and then wears it and thanks Allah for it except that he is forgiven before the cloth reaches his knees.”[2]
The following quote from ‘Umar Ibn ‘Abdul’azeez also stresses upon the importance of thanking Allah Ta’aalaa:
«قَيِّدُوا النِّعَمَ بِالشُّكْرِ»
“Follow the bounties (that Allah has bestowed upon you) with shukr.”[3]
As Muslims, we should avoid imitating the ways of the non-Muslims and do not subscribe to the housewarming concept. However, in appreciating Allah’s bounty, one may invite friends and family to the house on this happy occasion and feed them. The guests may offer gifts without regarding it as compulsory by following the norm of the housewarming event.
The house can be really “warmed” by practicing upon Shari’ah and Sunnah in the house, the way we treat our spouses, the way we eat and drink, and conduct ourselves. Practicing upon the Sunnah brings about peace and harmony. What is the point of having palatial homes and housewarming events but there is no peace and harmony in the house due to not following Shari’ah?!
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Muhammad Haris Siddiqui
Student Darul Iftaa
Melbourne, Australia 
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.