Gems Of Ramadan ✔

DAY 21 - I'TKAAF

Let us talk about some of the Fiqh points that I was asked about and they are really the top questions that I got on this matter.
DOES ONE HAVE TO DO ALL TEN DAYS?

He can do a portion of them. Let us say he has a job, he goes for five days and then suddenly they call him to work. He will get the five days of reward Inshaa Allah and then when he finishes what he has to do, he comes back and initiates the Niyyah for a new I’tikaaf. The best is to do all ten days but if one does a few days or even if it is as short as five minutes, that is acceptable.
Ash-Shaafi’ee said on this matter you are your own Ameer (leader), it is what you choose. You can continue or you can leave it whenever you want, there is no sin in it. In Fath Al-Baari, Ibn Hajr said as long as one did not do a Nathr (نذر) (meaning a vow), he can break his I’tikaaf and resume if he wishes. What we mean by a vow is if someone says O Allah if you grant me this, I am going to do ten days of I’tikaaf or three days of I’tikaaf. If he does that vow, the vow becomes a Fardh upon him and he must do it as he says.

WHAT IS THE MINIMUM DURATION OF I’TIKAAF?

The Hanaabilah said it is a portion of a day (a portion of a day is sufficient). The Hanafiyyah said any time is sufficient. The Shaafi’iyyah said the length of the duration that one spends in Rukoo’. The one, two or three minutes that you spend in Rukoo’ is sufficient a time for I’tikaaf. Once you enter the Masjid with the Niyyah of I’tikaaf, that is I’tikaaf. It could be for three minutes, for one day, for two days or for a month. The ones that limited were the Maalikiyyah who limited it for a day and a night, but really it is what the three Imaams indicated (that there is no time limit and it could be any minimum amount of time you spend in a Masjid).
When I was a child we used to go to the Masjid of the Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. I used to memorise the Qur’an and that is where I memorised the Qur’an. We used to go there every single night for four and a half years, from ‘Asr until Ishaa’. I remember we did not miss a single day except one day when the Masjid flooded, because back then they did accommodate well for when it rained severely. When we would go into the Masjid from ‘Asr to Ishaa’, my father would always remind me and say when you enter the Masjid have the intention in your heart to do I’tikaaf. If you go in a Masjid from Maghrib to Ishaa’ and you make the intention of I’tikaaf, you get the Ajr (reward) of it. Two people can enter the same Masjid at the same time and leave at the same time, one of them gets the reward of I’tikaaf and one does not. That is because one of them had the intention of I’tikaaf and the other did not.
However, to reap the full benefits of I’tikaaf that is when you go in seclusion and you sever yourself from the world. You leave your cell phone and everything behind you. You sever yourself from the worldly matters, unless there is something important. There is no problem with communicating in matters that are important.
From a Fiqh point of view, I’tikaaf is Sunnah. It is Sunnah and just like many think Taraweeh is only Sunnah throughout Ramadhaan, Taraweeh, Qiyaam and I’tikaaf are Sunnah throughout the year.

I’TIKAAF MUST BE IN A MASJID

Some say well if you want me to be alone, I will do I’tikaaf in my house by myself. For it to be I’tikaaf it has to be in a Masjid, that is a condition of it. The wives of the Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam did I’tikaaf in the Masjid. Had it been permitted to do so in their houses, the Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa salam would have directed them to that.
Allah said:
وَلَا تُبَاشِرُ‌وهُنَّ وَأَنتُمْ عَاكِفُونَ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ... ﴿البقرة: ١٨٧﴾
And do not have sexual relations with them (your wives) while you are in I’tikaaf (i.e. confining oneself in a mosque for prayers and invocations leaving the worldly activities) in the mosques. (Surat al-Baqarah: 187)
And He said:
...وَعَهِدْنَا إِلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ أَن طَهِّرَا بَيْتِيَ لِلطَّائِفِينَ وَالْعَاكِفِينَ وَالرُّكَّعِ السُّجُودِ ﴿البقرة: ١٢٥﴾
And We commanded Ibraheem and Isma’eel that they should purify My House (the Ka’bah at Makkah) for those who are circumambulating it, or staying (I’tikaaf), or bowing or prostrating themselves (there, in prayer). (Surat al-Baqarah: 125)
Also, the I’tikaaf of the Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was in the Masjid. I’tikaaf in a house is not permissible, not even for a woman. You can worship in your house but it is not I’tikaaf and it is not called I’tikaaf. In the fifteenth volume of his Fataawa, Ibn Taymiyyah said I’tikaaf for women is in the Masjid and they should stay away from the house.