It’s Prescription:
1. ‘Itikaaf
(secluding oneself in the masjid) is a recommended act in Ramadaan as well as
any other day in the year. The source for that is found in Allaah’s
saying: “…while you are making ‘Itikaaf in the
masaajid.” And there are also many authentic ahaadeeth concerning
the Prophet’s (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) ‘Itikaaf and narrations from the Salaf concerning
that also. They are mentioned in the Musnnaf’s of Ibn Abee
Shaibah and ‘Abdur-Razzaaq.
It is authentically established that
the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) made ‘Itikaaf in the last ten days of Shawaal,[1] and that
‘Umar RAA said to the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam): “I made an oath (to Allaah) in the
Days of Ignorance that I would make ‘Itikaaf for one night in the Masjid
Al-Haraam?” So the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: “Fulfill your oath.” So he
made ‘Itikaaf one night. [2]
2. Observing it in Ramadaan
is established in the hadeeth of Abu Hurairah RAA: “Allaah’s Messenger
(sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) would make ‘Itikaaf for ten days in every Ramadaan. But when it was
the year in which he died, he made ‘Itikaaf for twenty days.”
[3]
3. The best time to do it is in the last part of Ramadaan
because the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) would make ‘Itikaaf during the last ten days
of Ramadaan until Allaah took his soul (in death). [4]
It’s Conditions:
1. It’s
observance is not legislated except in the masaajid, based on Allaah’s saying:
“And do not have intercourse with them (your wives) while you are making
‘Itikaaf in the masaajid.” [5] And ‘Aa’ishah said: “The Sunnah
for the one doing ‘Itikaaf is that he should not go out (of the masjid) except
for some need that he must fulfill. He should not witness a funeral, nor
should he touch his wife, or have intercourse with her. And there is no
‘Itikaaf except in a masjid that establishes the Jamaa’ah (congregational
prayer). And the Sunnah for the one doing ‘Itikaaf is that he should be
fasting (on the day he makes ‘Itikaaf).” [6]
2. The masjid
should also hold the Jumu’ah prayers so that he is not forced to leave the
masjid to pray the Jumu’ah prayer. This is because going out for it is an
obligation, based on ‘Aa’ishah’s saying in one report from her of the previous
hadeeth: “…and there is no ‘Itikaaf except in a masjid that holds the
Jumu’ah prayer.” [7]
Furthermore, I came upon an authentic
hadeeth that clearly specifies the “masaajid” mentioned
in the previous ayah to mean the three masaajid: Masjid Al-Haraam, Masjid
An-Nabawee and Masjid Al-Aqsaa. The hadeeth is: “There is no
‘Itikaaf except in the three masaajid.” [8]
According to
what I came across, those among the Salaf who held this opinion were Hudhaifah
Ibn Al-Yamaan, Sa’eed Ibn Al-Musayyib and ‘Ataa. However, he (‘Ataa) did
not mention Masjid Al-Aqsaa. Others held the opinion that it was any
congregating masjid (in which the Jumu’ah prayer is held), without
restriction. And yet others disagreed saying it can even be done in the
masjid of ones home. And there is no doubt that adhering to what complies
with the hadeeth about it is what deserves to be followed. And Allaah,
Glorified and Exalted, knows best.
3. It is from the Sunnah for the
one making ‘Itikaaf to observe fasting, as has been stated by ‘Aa’ishah
RAA. [9]
What is permissible for the
person making ‘Itikaaf:
1. It is
permissible for him to leave the masjid in order to fulfill a need. And it
is permissible for him to stick his head out of the masjid to have it washed and
combed. ‘Aa’ishah RAA said: “And the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam)
would enter his head in my presence while he was making ‘Itikaaf in the masjid,
and I was in my apartment. So I would comb his hair, [and in one
narration: I would wash it, even though there was the threshold between me and
him, and I would be menstruating]. And he (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) would not enter the house
unless he had a [human] need, while making ‘Itikaaf.”
[10]
2. It is permissible for the one making ‘Itikaaf and
others to make wudoo (ablution) in the masjid, based on the saying of a man who
would serve the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam): “The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) would make a light wudoo
(ablution) in the masjid.” [11]
3. He may set up a small
tent in the back of the masjid in which to make ‘Itikaaf. This is
since ‘Aa’ishah RAA would set up a khibaa[12] (tent) for the Prophet
(sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) when he would make ‘Itikaaf. And this was from his (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam)
command. [13]
And one time he made ‘Itikaaf in a small
tent that had a mat covering its doorway. [14]
The Allowance of a woman to make ‘Itikaaf and visit her husband
(who is making ‘Itikaaf) in the masjid:
4. It
is permissible for a woman to visit her husband while he is making
‘Itikaaf. And he may walk with her to bid her farewell up to the
door of the masjid, based on the saying of Safiyyah
RAA:
“The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) was making ‘Itikaaf in the
masjid during the last ten days of Ramadaan, so I went to visit him one night,
and his wives were with him. So I spoke to him for an hour, then I got up
to leave and he said: ‘Don’t rush, I’ll go out with you.’ So he got up
with me to escort me out.” And her dwelling used to be in the home of
Usaamah Ibn Zaid. Then they walked until they reached the door of the
masjid, which was by the door of Umm Salamah. Then two men from the Ansaar
passed by and when they saw the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam), they rushed away. So the
Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: ‘Slow down! This is (my wife)Safiyyah Bint Huyai’ So
they said: ‘SubhaanAllaah, O Messenger of Allaah.’ He (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: ‘Verily,
the Devil flows through the human like the flowing of blood. And I feared
lest he put some evil into your hearts.’” [Or he (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: “something
into your hearts.”] [15]
Rather it is even permissible for
a woman to make ‘Itikaaf along with her husband in the masjid or by
herself, based on the statement of ‘Aa’ishah RAA: ”One of the wives of
Allaah’s Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) made ‘Itikaaf with him while she was in the state of
Istihaada (bleeding between periods) [in another narration it states she is Umm
Salamah] and she would see red (blood) or yellowish traces (come out of
her). And sometimes we put a tray beneath her when she offered the
prayer.” [16]
And she also said: “The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam)
would observe ‘Itikaaf during the last ten days of Ramadaan, until he
died. Then his wives observed ‘Itikaaf after him.”
[17]
There is proof in this that it is permissible for the women to
make ‘Itikaaf also. And there is no doubt that this is on the
condition that their guardians grant them permission to do that. And it is
also on the condition that the place is free from any fitnah and intermingling
with men, based on the many evidences for that and also on the Fiqh principle:
“Preventing an evil takes precedence over bringing about a
good.”
5. Having sexual intercourse nullifies one’s
‘Itikaaf, based on Allaah’s saying: “And do not have sexual
relations with them (your wives) while you are making ‘Itikaaf in the
masaajid.”
And Ibn ‘Abbaas RAA said: “If the
person making ‘Itikaaf has sexual relations then he nullifies his ‘Itikaaf and
must start it over again.” [18]
There is no recompense
(kaffaarah) that is binding upon him due to a lack of anything being mentioned
about that by the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) and his
Companions.
Footnotes:
[1] This is a
portion of a hadeeth from ‘Aa’ishah reported by Al-Bukharee, Muslim and Ibn
Khuzaimah in their Saheeh collections. I have referenced it in Saheeh
Sunan Abee Dawood (2127)
[2] Reported by Al-Bukharee, Muslim and Ibn Khuzaimah. The extra
addition is from Al-Bukhaaree in one narration as is stated in my abridgment to
it (995). And it is referenced in Saheeh Sunan Abee Dawood (2136-2137)
also.
[3] Reported by Al-Bukhaaree and Ibn Khuzaimah in their Saheeh collections
and it is referenced in the previously mentioned source (2126-2130)
[4] Reported by Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim and Ibn Khuzaimah (2223) and it is
referenced in Al-Irwaa (966) and Saheeh Abee Dawood (2125)
[5] Surat-ul-Baqarah: 187. Imaam Al-Bukhaaree used this ayah as
evidence for hat we have stated above. Al-Haafidh Ibn Hajr said: “The
point of evidence found in this ayah is that if it were correct to do ‘Itikaaf
in someplace other than a masjid, the forbiddance of having sexual relations
would not be specifically mentioned, because sexual intercourse is forbidden
during ‘Itikaaf according to the consensus of the scholars. So it is
understood through the mentioning of “masaajid” that the meaning is that
‘Itikaaf is not correct except in it the masaajid.
[6] Reported by Al-Baihaqee with an authentic chain, and Abu Dawood with a
sound chain. The following narration from ‘Aa’ishah RAA is also form Abu
Dawood, and it is referenced in Saheeh Aee Dawood (2135) and Al-Irwaa (966)
[7] Al-Baihaqee reported on Ibn ‘Abbaas that he said: “Verily, the
most hated of things to Allaah are the innovations. And verily from the
innovations is making ‘Itikaaf in the masaajid that are located in the
houses."
[8] Reported by At-Tahaawee and Al-Isma’eelee and Al-Baihaqee with an
authentic chain of narration on Hudhaifah Ibn Al-Yamaan RAA. And it is
referenced in As-Saheehah (no. 2786) along with the narrations from the Sahaabah
that comply with it, and all of them are authentic.
[9] Reported by Al-Baihaqee with an authentic chain of narration and Abu
Dawood with a sound chain of narration. Imaam Ibn Al-Qayyim said in Zaad
Al-Ma’aad: “It is not reported on the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) that he made ‘Itikaaf while
not fasting. Rather, ‘Aa’ishah RAA said: ‘There is no ‘Itikaaf except with
fasting.’ And furthermore, Allaah did not mention ‘Itikaaf except with the
fast. And the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) did not do it unless he was fasting. So
the correct opinion is in the evidence, which the majority of the scholars
adhere to: that fasting is a condition for ‘Itikaaf. And this is the
opinion that Shaikh-ul-Islaam Abul-‘Abbaas Ibn Tamiyyah favored.” And he
adds to this that it is not legislated in the Religion that one who goes out to
the masjid for prayer or other than that is supposed to make an intention for
the amount of time he will spend in ‘Itikaaf. This is what
Shaikh-ul-Islaam clarified in his Ikhtiyaaraat.
[10] Reported by Al-Bukhaaree, Muslim, Ibn Abee Shaibah, and Ahmad, and the
first addition belongs to these last two (mentioned). It is referenced in
Saheeh Abee Dawood (2131-2132)
[11] Reported by Al-Baihaqee with a good chain and Ahmad (5/364) in abridged
form with an authentic chain of narration.
[12] A khibaa is one type of house of the Arabs made form fur or wool, and it
is not from hair. And it is set up on two or three props. See
An-Nihaayah..
[13] Reported by Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim from the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah.
Her doing it is stated in the report of Al-Bukhaaree and his commanding it is
stated in the report of Muslim.
[14] It is part of a hadeeth narrated by Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudree, reported by
Muslim and Ibn Khuzaimah in their Saheehs. It is referenced in Saheeh Abee
Dawood (1251)
[15] Reported by Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim and also Abu Dawood, and the last
part of it is form him (Abu Dawood). And I referenced it in Saheeh Sunan
Abee Dawood (2133 & 2134).
[16] Reported by Al-Bukhaaree and it is referenced in Saheeh Sunan Abee
Dawood (2138). The other narration is from Sa’eed Ibn Mansoor, as is I
stated in Fath-ul-Baaree (4/281). However, Ad-Daarimee (1/22) says that
she is Zainab, and Allaah knows best.
[17] Reported by Al-Bukhaaree, Muslim and others.
[18] Reported by Ibn Abee Shaibah (3/92) and ‘Abdur-Razaaq (4/363) with an
authentic chain of narration. and what is meant by his saying:
“must start it over” is that he must redo his
‘Itikaaf.
Article courtesy of www.al-manhaj.com
Concerning I`tikaaf