Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states: “Adhan (call to prayer) is a form of Dhikr (remembrance of Allah); it has been prescribed as a summons to prayer for the specific purpose of informing people of the arrival of the time of Prayer. While mentioning the specific benefits of Adhan, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said that it drives away the Satan while eliciting positive responses from good spirits.
Since Adhan is a form of Dhikr, there is nothing wrong if a person calls Adhan before settling down in a house– if his intention is simply to drive away devils– although ideally it would have been better for the person in question to gather his own family members and pray two Rak`ahs of Nafl (supererogatory) prayer thanking Allah for His favor, and read parts of the Qur’an. Reading Suratal-Baqarah in a home is highly recommended as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Satan runs away from a house where Surat al-Baqarah is recited.”
A house—we must know—is either inhabited by devils or angels. In order to make it a hospitable place for angels, we must practice regular recitation of the Qur’an and engage in Dhikr. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, also advised us that we should at least set aside some of our <Nafl (supererogatory) prayers to be performed in our homes, if we are in the habit of regularly praying at the mosque. Besides, one must also turn off television and videos except for news and educational or instructional programs that have tangible benefits. In other words, simply calling Adhan before occupying a house will not guarantee that the house is protected against devils.
In conclusion, let me state that calling Adhan before occupying the house cannot be considered a Bid`ah, if the person’s intention is simply to celebrate the remembrance of Allah. If, however, someone insists that everyone who buys a new home should start out by calling Adhan, then surely that will be akin to introducing an innovation in religion. We cannot prescribe anything in religion unless it has been already prescribed therein by Allah and His Messenger.”