I#kaaf
Def:
Spiritual
Retreat
I#kaf
Linguis0cally
it
means
means
devo0on
to
a
thing
and
s0cking
to
it
In
the
Shari'a,
it
means
that
the
Muslim
clings
to
the
mosque
(For
a
long
period)
for
dhikr
,
the
prayer,
recita0on
of
the
Quran,
The
Believer
cuts
all
0es
with
crea0on
to
maintain
only
0es
of
worship
with
the
Creator.
This
means
giving
up
all
ac0vi0es
that
might
divert
the
person
from
obeying
and
worshipping
Allah
(Exalted
be
He)
History:
Itikaaf traces its origin back to the very first Masjid ever built i.e. Masjid al
Haram Allah ordered Nabi Ibrahim and His Son Ismaeel alayhima asalam to
build the masjid. Allah says in Surah Haj:
.
Behold we gave the site to Ibrahim of the sacred House, saying: Associate
not anything in worship with Me and sanctify My House for those who
compass it round or stand up or bow or prostrate themselves therein in
prayer.
When the Masjid is built Allah defines worship in the masjid to Nabi
Ibrahim and His Son Nabi Ismael Allah says in Surah al Baqarah:
.{{
:
and we covenanted with Abraham and Ismail that they should sanctify my
house for those who compass around it who use it as a retreat or bow or
prostrate themselves therein in prayer.
Note : The team of Father and Son Alayhimaa al Salaam are the first
Mutawalis of a Masjid their job description is clearly stated in the above
verse.
Itikaaf in the time of Rasulullah S.A.W.
Meccan Period : in the meccan period of history we find that the Prophet
S.A.W does have a kind of Spiritual Retreat when he secludes Himself S.A.W
in the cave of Hirah it is in this Spiritual Retreat that Nubuwwah is officially
bestowed on the Prophet S.A.W. We do not however call it Itikaaf because of
reasons we will mention later
Madinah The building of Masjid al-Nabawiy and the Itikaaf:
After the Hijra when the Prophet S.A.W arrive in Madinah the first thing He
S.A.W does is to build the Masjid uniting thereby the muslims and
establishing a central point to oversee all the affairs of the New Islamic
State.
Ramadhan is Legislated in the second year after Hijra, it is in Ramadan that
we notice The Prophet secluding Himself to the masjid al-Nabawi on a
regular bases for Itikaaf as we know it today, says Aysha R.A in a hadith
transmitted by Muslim and Bukhari :
. - - "
Ayesha
R.A
says:
The
Prophet
S.A.W
regularly
made
I0kaaf
the
last
ten
days
of
the
month
of
Ramadan
,
aQer
His
demise
His
wives
made
I0kaaf
to.
Abu
Hurayra
says
in
a
Hadith
documented
in
Bukhari:
, :
) ) "
The
Prophet
S.A.W
spent
ten
days
in
I0kaaf
in
Ramadan,
in
the
last
year
of
Hi
Life
S.A.W
He
spent
twenty
Days
in
Ramadan.
, ) !
)
Imam al-Zuhri Rahimahu Allah says: I am amazed by the Muslims, they have
abandoned Itikaaf even though the Prophet S.A.W did not leave it from the
time he entered Madinah till his Death S.A.W.
Rulling of Itikaaf:
1. Sunnah - through out the year.
2. Emphasised sunnah - in Ramadan especially the last ten days of
Ramadan.
3. Compulsory - on an individual because of a vow (Nadhr)
Conditions for the correctness of Itikaaf:
1. Niyyah / Intention: The Mutakif has to make the intention when entering
the masjid, if he enters the masjid for any other reason than itikaaf and
afterwards decides to regard his stay as an itikaaf it will not suffice.
2. al-Mukthu fil Masjid / Staying in the Masjid.
Note: Fasting is not a condition for Itikaaf in a Hadith narrated by Ibn
Abbas R.A The Prophet S.A.W says:
. :
Fas0ng
is
not
compulsory
on
the
Mutakif
except
if
he
makes
it
a
compulsory
on
Himself.
That
which
Nullies
the
I#kaaf:
1. Sexual
Rela0ons
2. Leaving
the
Masjid
(without
a
valid
excuse).
if
the
mutakif
leaves
the
masjid
for
no
valid
reason
he
has
to
renew
his
inten0on
when
returning.
THIS
IS
ONLY
APPLIES
TO
THE
SUNNAH
ITIKAAF,
AS
FOR
THE
FARD
IF
HE
BREAKS
HIS
ITIKAAF
WITHOUT
A
VALID
REASON
HE
WILL
HAVE
TO
REPEAT.
3. Apostasy
4. Haydh
or
Nifaas
because
it
disqualies
one
from
staying
in
the
Masjid
I#kaaf
of
the
Lady:
It
is
clear
from
Quran
and
Sunnah
that
it
is
permissible
for
ladies
to
make
i0kaaf
in
the
masjid,
Allah
says
in
Surah
al-Baqarah:
[187 : [ )
) .
and
do
not
approach
them
(Wives)
whilst
you
are
secluded
in
the
Masjid
In
the
Hadith
of
Ayesha
R.A
. - - "
Ayesha
R.A
says:
The
Prophet
S.A.W
regularly
made
I0kaaf
the
last
ten
days
of
Ramadan
,
aQer
His
demise
His
wives
made
con0nued
this
prac0ce.
The
Shai
Madhab
holds
the
view
that
i0kaaf
is
only
allowed
in
a
masjid,
this
is
the
view
of
the
Maliki
and
Humbly
Madhahib,
the
Hanaa
holds
the
view
that
a
Lady
is
allowed
to
make
i0kaaf
in
her
house
only.
Due
to
moral
decay
it
would
be
best
suited
for
ladies
to
follow
the
hana
Madhab
and
make
i0kaaf
in
their
houses,
alterna0vely
a
masjid
could
be
reserved
wherein
ladies
are
only
allowed
to
make
i0kaaf
on
condi0on
that
adequate
security
is
provided
for
their
protec0on
and
comfort.
Virtues
of
I#kaaf:
There
are
no
real
authen0c
Ahadith
on
the
virtues
of
I0kaaf
there
are
however
many
ahadith
encouraging
us
to
seek
closeness
to
Allah
via
Sunnah
Ibaadaat,
I0kaaf
is
one
of
those
acts
that
brings
a
Muslim
close
to
Allah
Allah
says
in
a
Hadith
Qudsi:
) :
, ,
. (
, , , ,
6502) )
Allah
Most
High
says:
"My
slave
approaches
Me
with
nothing
more
beloved
to
Me
than
what
I
have
made
obligatory
upon
him,
and
My
slave
keeps
drawing
nearer
to
Me
with
voluntary
works
un0l
I
love
him.
And
when
I
love
him,
I
am
his
hearing
with
which
he
hears,
his
sight
with
which
he
sees,
his
hand
with
which
he
seizes,
and
his
foot
with
which
he
walks.
If
he
asks
me,
I
will
surely
give
to
him,
and
if
he
seeks
refuge
in
Me,
I
will
surely
protect
him
