I'TIKAF (Understanding Hadith Qudsi 10)
by Forty Hadith Qudsi on Saturday, 21 August 2010 at 02:34
As Salam Alaikum :)
We have come to the end of studies for Hadith Qudsi 10 about SIYAAM.Following is the last but not the least topic related to Fasting. It is my personal favourite during Ramadan.It is a bit long as I have tried to cover every detail into it but plss do give it a read. I pray that Allah SWT guide all muslims to establish this Sunnah and accept our prayers Ameen :)
Hadith Qudsi 10
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ " يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: الصَّوْمُ لِي، وَأَنَا أَجْزِي بِهِ، يَدَعُ شَهْوَتَهُ وَأَكْلَهُ وَشُرْبَهُ مِنْ أَجْلِي، وَالصَّوْمُ جُنَّةٌ(1)، وَلِلصَّائِمِ فَرْحَتَانِ: فَرْحَةٌ حِينَ يُفْطِرُ، وَفَرْحَةٌ حِينَ
."يَلْقَى رَبَّهُ، وَلَخُلُوفُ(2) فَمِ الصَّائِمِ أَطْيَبُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مِنْ رِيحِ الْمِسْكِ
رواه البخاري (وكذلك مسلم ومالك والترمذي النسائي وابن ماجه
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said:
"Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says: 'Fasting is Mine and it is I Who give reward for it. [A man] gives up his sexual passion, his food and his drink for My sake.' Fasting is like a shield, and he who fasts has two joys: a joy when he breaks his fast and a joy when he meets his Lord. The change in the breath of the mouth of him who fasts is better in Allah's estimation than the smell of musk."
[Bukhari (also by Muslim, Malik, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah).]
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I'TIKAF
I'tikaaf means staying in the mosque to worship Allaah
The guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) with regard to i'tikaaf was the most perfect and moderate of guidance. Once he observed i'tikaaf in the first ten days of Ramadaan, then in the middle ten days, seeking Laylat al-Qadr. Then he was told that it is in the last ten days, so then he always observed i'tikaaf during the last ten days, until he met his Lord.
On one occasion he did not observe i'tikaaf during the last ten days, so he made it up in Shawwaal and observed i'tikaaf during the first ten days thereof. This was narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim. In the year in which he died, he observed i'tikaaf for twenty days. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2040. It was said that the reason for that is that he knew his life was drawing to a close, so he wanted to increase his good deeds, to show his ummah how to strive hard in doing good deeds when the opportunity for doing so drew to close, so that they could meet Allaah in the best way. And it was said that the reason was that Jibreel used to review the Qur'aan with him once each Ramadaan, but in the year in which he died, he reviewed it with him twice, which is why his i'tikaaf was twice as long as usual.
A more likely reason is that he observed i'tikaaf for twenty days in that year because the year before he had been traveling. This is indicated by the report narrated by al-Nasaa'i and Abu Dawood, and classed as saheeh by Ibn Hibbaan and others, from Ubayy ibn Ka'b who said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to observe i'tikaaf during the last ten days of Ramadaan, but he travelled one year and did not observe i'tikaaf, so the following year he observed i'tikaaf for twenty days. Fath al-Baari.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to order that a kind of tent be pitched for him in the mosque, and he would stay in it, keeping away from people and turning to his Lord, so he could be on his own with his Lord in a true sense of the word.
On one occasion he observed i'tikaaf in a small tent, and put a reed mat over the door. Narrated by Muslim, 1167.
Ibn al-Qayyim said in Zaad al-Ma'aad, 2/90: All of this to achieve the spirit and purpose of i'tikaaf, and is the opposite of what the ignorant do, whereby the place of i'tikaaf becomes a place of gathering and meeting with people and chatting to them. This is one thing, and i'tikaaf as observed by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is something else.
He used to stay in the mosque the whole time, and not leave it except to relieve himself. 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: "He would not enter his house for anything except for a need when he was observing i'tikaaf." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2029; Muslim, 297. According to a report narrated by Muslim: "Except for human needs." Al-Zuhri interpreted this as referring to urination and defecation.
He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) made sure he remained clean. He would lean his head out of the mosque into 'Aa'ishah's apartment so that she should wash his head and comb his hair.
Al-Bukhaari (2028) and Muslim (297) narrated that 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to lean his head towards me when he was observing i'tikaaf in the mosque, and I would comb his hair, when I was menstruating." According to a report also narrated by al-Bukhaari: "And I would wash it."
Al-Haafiz said: This hadeeth indicates that it is permissible to clean oneself, put on perfume, wash oneself, comb one's hair etc (when in i'tikaaf). The majority of scholars are of the view that nothing is makrooh except that which it is makrooh to do in the mosque.
When he was in i'tikaaf, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not visit the sick or attend funerals. This was so that he could concentrate fully on conversing with Allaah and achieving the purpose of i'tikaaf, which is to cut oneself off from people and turn to Allaah.
'Aa'ishah said: The Sunnah is for the person in i'tikaaf not to visit the sick or attend funerals, or to be intimate with his wife. But there is nothing wrong with his going out for essential needs. Narrated by Abu Dawood, 2473; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.
"or to be intimate with his wife" means intercourse. This was stated by al-Shawkaani in Nayl al-Awtaar.
Some of his wives used to visit him when he was in i'tikaaf. When she stood up to leave, he would take her home – that was at night.
It was narrated from Safiyyah the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that she came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and visited him when he was in i'tikaaf in the mosque, during the last ten days of Ramadaan. She spoke with him for a while, then she stood up to leave. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stood up with her to take her home. Narrated by al-Bukhaari 2035; Muslim, 2175.
In conclusion, his i'tikaaf was moderate and not harsh. He spent all his time remembering Allaah and turning to Him in worship, seeking Laylat al-Qadr.
See: Zaad al-Ma'aad by Ibn al-Qayyim, 2/90; al-I'tikaaf Nazrah Tarbawiyyah by Dr 'Abd al-Lateef Balto.
Itikaf according to the Sunnah
I'tikaaf is prescribed according to the Qur'aan and Sunnah and scholarly consensus.
In the Qur'aan, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"and We commanded Ibraaheem (Abraham) and Ismaa'eel (Ishmael) 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)" [al-Baqarah 2:125]
"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"[al-Baqarah 2:187]
With regard to the Sunnah, there are many ahaadeeth, such as the hadeeth of 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to observe i'tikaaf during the last ten days of Ramadaan until Allaah took his soul, then his wives observed i'tikaaf after he was gone. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2026; Muslim, 1172.
With regard to scholarly consensus, more than one of the scholars narrated that there was scholarly consensus that i'tikaaf is prescribed in sharee'ah, such as al-Nawawi, Ibn Qudaamah, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, and others.
See al-Majmoo', 6/404; al-Mughni, 4/456; Sharh al-'Umdah, 2/711.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz said in Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 15/437: Undoubtedly i'tikaaf in the mosque is an act of worship, and (observing it) in Ramadaan is better than at other times. It is prescribed in Ramadaan and at other times.
The Ruling on I'tikaaf.
The basic principle is that i'tikaaf is Sunnah, not obligatory, unless one made a vow to do it, in which case it becomes obligatory, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever vows to obey Allaah, let him obey Him, and whoever vows to disobey Him, let him not disobey Him." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6696.
And 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allaah, during the Jaahiliyyah I vowed to observe i'tikaaf for one night in al-Masjid al-Haraam." He said: "Fulfil your vow." (6697).
Ibn al-Mundhir said in his book al-Ijmaa' (p. 53): They were unanimously agreed that i'tikaaf is Sunnah and is not obligatory unless a man obliges himself to do that by making a vow, in which case it becomes obligatory for him. See Fiqh al-I'tikaaf by Dr Khaalid al-Mushayqih, p. 31.
The i'tikaaf which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) always observed at the end of his life is i'tikaaf during the last ten days of Ramadaan. These few days may indeed be regarded as an intensive course of spiritual education which brings immediate positive results in a person's life during the days and nights of Ramadaan and in the coming days, until the next Ramadaan comes.
How great is the Muslims' need to revive this Sunnah and establish it in the proper manner, as the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his companions used to observe it.
How great will be the success of those who adhere to the Sunnah after the ummah has neglected it and become corrupt.
The basic goal of the Prophet's i'tikaaf was to seek Laylat al-Qadr.
Muslim (1167) narrated that Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) observed i'tikaaf during the first ten days of Ramadaan, then he observed i'tikaaf during the middle ten days in a small tent at the door of which was a reed mat. He took the mat in his hand and lifted it. Then he put his head out and spoke to the people, and they came close to him. He said: "I observed i'tikaaf during the first ten days seeking this night, then I observed i'tikaaf during the middle ten days. Then someone came and said to me that it is in the last ten days, so whoever among you wishes to observe i'tikaaf let him do so." So the people observed i'tikaaf with him.
This hadeeth teaches us a number of things:
1-That the basic goal of the i'tikaaf of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was to seek Laylat al-Qadr and to prepare to spend that night in worship. That is because of the great virtue of that night of which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"The Night of Al‑Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allaah in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months)" [al-Qadr 97:3].
2-The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) strove to seek that night before he was told when it is. So he started with the first ten days, then he observed it during the middle ten, then he continued to observe i'tikaaf during the last ten days, when he was told that it is in the last ten days. This is the utmost effort to seek Laylat al-Qadr.
3-The Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) followed the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), because they started i'tikaaf and continued with him until the end of the month, because they were so keen to follow his example.
4-The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was compassionate towards his companions and showed mercy to them, because he knew that i'tikaaf was difficult for them. So he gave them the choice between staying with him or of leaving, and said: "...so whoever among you wishes to observe i'tikaaf let him do so."
There are other aims of i'tikaaf as well, including the following:
1- Being alone with Allaah and cutting oneself off from people if possible, so that one may focus completely on Allaah.
2- Renewing oneself spiritual by focusing totally on Allaah.
3-Cutting oneself off completely in order to worship Allaah with prayer, du'aa', dhikr and reading Qur'aan.
4-Protecting one's fast from everything that may affect it of whims and desires.
5-Reducing permissible worldly pleasures and refraining from many of them even though one is able to enjoy them.
See al-I'tikaaf Nazrah Tarbawiyyah by Dr. 'Abd al-Lateef Balto.
Validity of Itikaf
If the mu'takif (person observing i'tikaaf) goes out of the mosque, his i'tikaaf is invalidated, because i'tikaaf means staying in the mosque to worship Allaah.
That applies unless the mu'takif goes out for an unavoidable reason, such as to relieve himself, to do wudoo' or ghusl, or to bring food if he does not have anyone to bring food to the mosque for him, and other similar matters which cannot be avoided and which cannot be done in the mosque.
Al-Bukhaari (2092) and Muslim (297) narrated that 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used not to enter the house except for things that a person needs when he was observing i'tikaaf.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Mughni (4/466): What is meant by things that a person needs is to urinate and defecate, because every person need to do that. Similarly, he also needs to eat and drink. If he does not have anyone who can bring him food and drink, then he may go out to get them if he needs to. For everything that he cannot do without and cannot do in the mosque, he may go out for that purpose, and that does not invalidate his i'tikaaf, so long as he does not take a long time doing it.
If the mu'takif goes out to do his work, this is something that invalidates i'tikaaf.
The Standing Committee was asked: Is it permissible for the mu'takif to visit someone who is sick or to accept an invitation or to attend to his family's needs or to attend a funeral or to go to work?
They replied: The Sunnah is that the mu'takif should not visit one who is sick during his i'tikaaf, or accept any invitation, or attend to his family's needs, or attend any funeral, or go to work outside the mosque, because it was proven that 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "The Sunnah is for the mu'takif not to visit any sick person, or attend any funeral, or touch his wife or be intimate with her, or to go out for any purpose except those which cannot be avoided." Narrated by Abu Dawood, 2473.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 10/410.
Length of Itikaf
The scholars differed as to the minimum length of time for i'tikaaf.
The majority of scholars are of the view that the minimum length of time is a moment. This is the view of Abu Haneefah and Ahmad. See al-Durr al-Mukhtaar (1/445); al-Majmoo', 6/489; al-Insaaf, 7/566.
Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo', 6/514: With regard to the minimum length of time for i'tikaaf, the majority stipulated that it must be observed in the mosque, and that it is permissible to do a lot or a little, even a hour or a moment.
They quoted several reports as evidence for that:
1 – That i'tikaaf in Arabic means staying, and the word may be applied to a long period of time or a short one; there is no report in sharee'ah that defines it as being a specific length of time.
Ibn Hazm said: I'tikaaf in the language of the Arabs means staying... any stay in the mosque for the sake of Allaah with the intention of drawing closer to Him is i'tikaaf... whether that is for a short time or a long time, because the Qur'aan and Sunnah do not specify any number or length of time. Al-Muhalla, 5/179
2 – Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated that Ya'la ibn Umayyah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I will stay in the mosque for an hour, and I am only staying to observe i'tikaaf. Ibn Hazm quoted this as evidence in al-Muhalla (5/179); it was quoted without comment by al-Haafiz in al-Fath. "Hour" here refers to a period of time but it does not mean an hour in the modern sense of sixty minutes.
Some scholars are of the opinion that the minimum length of i'tikaaf is one day. This was narrated from Abu Haneefah and was the view of some of the Maalikis.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz said in Majmoo' al-Fataawa (15/441): I'tikaaf means staying in the mosque to worship Allaah, whether that is for a long time or a short time, because as far as I know there is no report to indicate a set time, whether one or two days or more. This is an act of worship which is prescribed in Islam unless one vows to do it, in which case it becomes obligatory. This applies equally to men and women.
When to Start Itikaf
With regard to entering the place of i'tikaaf, the majority of scholars (including the four imams Abu Haneefah, Maalik, al-Shaafa'i and Ahmad, may Allaah have mercy on them) are of the view that the one who wants to observe i'tikaaf during the last ten days of Ramadaan should enter his place of i'tikaaf before the sun sets on the night of the twenty-first. They quoted several texts as evidence, including the following:
1 – It was proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to observe i'tikaaf during the last ten nights of Ramadaan, Agreed upon. This indicates that the period of i'tikaaf is counted by the nights, not the days. And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And by the ten nights"[al-Fajr 89:2]
The last ten nights start with the twenty-first.
Based on this, he should enter the mosque before the sun sets on the night of the twenty-first.
2 – They (the scholars) said that one of the greatest aims of i'tikaaf is to seek Laylat al-Qadr, and the night of the twenty-first is one of the odd-numbered nights in the last ten nights of Ramadaan, so it may possibly be Laylat al-Qadr, so he should be observing i'tikaaf on that night. This was stated by al-Sindi in Haashiyat al-Nasaa'i. See al-Mughni, 4/489.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen was asked in Fataawa al-Siyaam (p. 501): When does i'tikaaf begin?
He replied: The majority of scholars are of the view that i'tikaaf should begin on the night of the twenty first, not from Fajr of the twenty-first, although some of the scholars are of the view that i'tikaaf should begin from Fajr of the twenty-first, based on the hadeeth of 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that was narrated by al-Bukhaari: "When he had prayed Fajr he entered his place of i'tikaaf". But the majority of scholars responded by stating that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) withdrew from people in the morning, but the intention to observe i'tikaaf was formed at the beginning of the night, because the last ten nights start when the sun sets on the twentieth.
He also said (p. 503): Entering the place of i'tikaaf for the last ten nights of Ramadaan may be done when the sun sets on the night of the twenty-first, because that is the time when the last ten nights begin. This is not contradicted by the hadeeth of 'Aa'ishah because the wording is different, so it should be understood according to what the language indicates. This is what was narrated by al-Bukhaari (2041) from 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) observed i'tikaaf every Ramadaan and when he had prayed Fajr he would enter the place where he observed i'tikaaf.
Her words "and when he had prayed Fajr he would enter the place where he observed i'tikaaf" indicate that he was already staying in the mosque, meaning that he was in the mosque before he entered he place of i'tikaaf.
With regard to coming out of i'tikaaf:
He should come out when the sun sets on the last day of Ramadaan.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen was asked: When should a person come out of i'tikaaf? Is it after the sun sets on the night of Eid or after Fajr on the day of Eid?
He replied: He should come out of i'tikaaf when Ramadaan ends. Ramadaan ends when the sun sets on the night of Eid. Fataawa al-Siyaam, p. 502.
It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 10/441. The period of i'tikaaf during the (last) ten nights of Ramadaan ends when the sun sets on the last day of the month.
Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo' (6/323): Al-Shaafa'i and his companions said: Whoever would like to follow the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in observing i'tikaaf during the last ten nights of Ramadaan should enter the mosque before the sun sets on the night of the twenty-first, so that he will not miss any of it, and he should come out after the sun sets on the night of Eid, whether the month is twenty-nine days or thirty. It is better for him to stay in the mosque on the night of Eid so that he can offer the Eid prayer there, or go out to the Eid prayer-place if they pray Eid there.
If he goes directly from i'tikaaf to the Eid prayer, it is mustahabb for him to do ghusl and make himself look good before going out, because this is one of the Sunnahs of Eid.
Place for Itikaf
The scholars differed concerning the characteristics of the mosque in which it is permissible to observe i'tikaaf. Some said that it is valid to observe i'tikaaf in any mosque, even if prayers in congregation are not held there, based on the general meaning of the verse in which
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"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" [al-Baqarah 2:187]
Imam Ahmad was of the view that it is conditional upon it being in a mosque in which prayers are held in congregation. He quoted the following evidence for that:
1 – The words of 'Aa'ishah: "There should be no i'tikaaf except in a mosque in which prayers in congregation are held (masjid jamaa'ah)." Narrated by al-Bayhaqi, classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in his essay Qiyaam Ramadaan.
2 – Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "There should be no i'tikaaf except in a mosque in which prayer is established." Al-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 5/212.
3 – If a person observes i'tikaaf in a mosque in which prayers in congregation are not held, this will lead to one of two things:
(i) Either he will miss prayer in congregation, and it is not permissible for a man to miss prayer in congregation without a valid excuse.
(ii) Or he will go out a great deal in order to pray in another mosque, which defeats the purpose of i'tikaaf. See al-Mughni, 4/461.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen said in al-Sharh al-Mumti' (6/312): I'tikaaf is not valid unless it is observed in a mosque in which people gather (to pray)?
Is what is meant a mosque in which Jumu'ah prayers are held, or one in which prayers in congregation (jamaa'ah) are held?
The answer is: a mosque in which prayers in congregation are held; it does not have to be one in which Jumu'ah prayers are held, because the mosque in which prayers in congregation are not held is not a mosque in the true sense of the word, such as if the mosque has been abandoned by its people or they have moved away.
It is not essential that the mosque be one in which Jumu'ah prayers are held, because Jumu'ah does not happen repeatedly and going out to attend Jumu'ah does not affect i'tikaaf, unlike the five daily prayers which happen repeatedly every day and night.
This condition – that the mosque be one in which prayers are held in congregation – applies if the person observing i'tikaaf is a man. If it is a woman, her i'tikaaf is valid in any mosque, even if it is one in which prayers are not held in congregation, because prayer in congregation is not obligatory for woman.
Ibn Qudaamah said in al-Mughni: A woman may observe i'tikaaf in any mosque; it does not have to be one in which prayers are held in congregation, because that is not obligatory for women. This is the view of al-Shaafa'i.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen said in al-Sharh al-Mumti' (6/313): If a woman observes i'tikaaf in a mosque in which prayers are not held in congregation, there is nothing wrong with that because she does not have to pray in congregation.
Itikaf for Women
The scholars are agreed that a man's i'tikaaf is only valid if observed in the mosque, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"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" [al-Baqarah 2:187]
So i'tikaaf is something that should be done specifically in the mosque. See al-Mughni, 4/461
With regard to women, the majority of scholars are of the view that as in the case of men, their i'tikaaf is not valid unless it is observed in the mosque, because of the verse quoted above (interpretation of the meaning):
"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" [al-Baqarah 2:187]
The wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) asked him for permission to observe i'tikaaf in the mosque and he gave them permission, and they used to observe i'tikaaf in the mosque after he died.
If it were permissible for a woman to observe i'tikaaf in her house, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would have told them to do that, because it is better for a woman to remain concealed in her house than to go out to the mosque.
Some of the scholars were of the view that it is valid for a woman to observe i'tikaaf in the "mosque" of her house, which is the place that she allocates for prayer in her house. But the majority of scholars said that this is not allowed and said that the place where she prays in her house is not called a masjid (mosque) except by way of metaphor, and it is not really a mosque, so it does not come under the rulings on mosques, hence it is permissible for people who are junub and menstruating women to enter it. See al-Mughni, 4/464.
Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo' (6/505): It is not valid for men or women to observe i'tikaaf anywhere but in the mosque; it is not valid in the mosque of a woman's house or the mosque of a man's house, which is a space that is set aside for prayer.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked in Majmoo' al-Fataawa (20/264) about where a woman who wants to observe i'tikaaf should do so?
He replied: If a woman wants to observe i'tikaaf, she should observe i'tikaaf in the mosque so long as that does not involve anything that is forbidden according to sharee'ah. If that does involve anything that is forbidden then she should not do i'tikaaf.
In al-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah (5/212) it says: The scholars differed as to where women should observe i'tikaaf. The majority are of the view that woman are like men, and their i'tikaaf is not valid unless observed in the mosque. Based on this it is not valid for a woman to observe i'tikaaf in the mosque of her house, because of the report narrated from Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) who asked about a woman who vowed to observe i'tikaaf in the mosque of her house. He said: "(This is) an innovation, and the most hateful of actions to Allaah are innovations (bid'ah)." So there can be no i'tikaaf except in a mosque in which prayers are established. And the mosque of a house is not a mosque in the real sense of the word and does not come under the same rulings; it is permissible to change it, and for a person who is junub to sleep in it. Moreover if it were permissible (to observe i'tikaaf at home), the Prophet's wives (may Allaah be pleased with them) would have done that at least once to show that it is permissible.
May Allah accepts all our prayers and give us a chance to reuvenate ourselves in this blessed month so that we hold onto the right path and never go astray.AMEEN :) :)
Jazakallahkhair
We have come to the end of studies for Hadith Qudsi 10 about SIYAAM.Following is the last but not the least topic related to Fasting. It is my personal favourite during Ramadan.It is a bit long as I have tried to cover every detail into it but plss do give it a read. I pray that Allah SWT guide all muslims to establish this Sunnah and accept our prayers Ameen :)
Hadith Qudsi 10
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ " يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: الصَّوْمُ لِي، وَأَنَا أَجْزِي بِهِ، يَدَعُ شَهْوَتَهُ وَأَكْلَهُ وَشُرْبَهُ مِنْ أَجْلِي، وَالصَّوْمُ جُنَّةٌ(1)، وَلِلصَّائِمِ فَرْحَتَانِ: فَرْحَةٌ حِينَ يُفْطِرُ، وَفَرْحَةٌ حِينَ
."يَلْقَى رَبَّهُ، وَلَخُلُوفُ(2) فَمِ الصَّائِمِ أَطْيَبُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مِنْ رِيحِ الْمِسْكِ
رواه البخاري (وكذلك مسلم ومالك والترمذي النسائي وابن ماجه
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said:
"Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says: 'Fasting is Mine and it is I Who give reward for it. [A man] gives up his sexual passion, his food and his drink for My sake.' Fasting is like a shield, and he who fasts has two joys: a joy when he breaks his fast and a joy when he meets his Lord. The change in the breath of the mouth of him who fasts is better in Allah's estimation than the smell of musk."
[Bukhari (also by Muslim, Malik, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah).]
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I'TIKAF
I'tikaaf means staying in the mosque to worship Allaah
The guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) with regard to i'tikaaf was the most perfect and moderate of guidance. Once he observed i'tikaaf in the first ten days of Ramadaan, then in the middle ten days, seeking Laylat al-Qadr. Then he was told that it is in the last ten days, so then he always observed i'tikaaf during the last ten days, until he met his Lord.
On one occasion he did not observe i'tikaaf during the last ten days, so he made it up in Shawwaal and observed i'tikaaf during the first ten days thereof. This was narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim. In the year in which he died, he observed i'tikaaf for twenty days. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2040. It was said that the reason for that is that he knew his life was drawing to a close, so he wanted to increase his good deeds, to show his ummah how to strive hard in doing good deeds when the opportunity for doing so drew to close, so that they could meet Allaah in the best way. And it was said that the reason was that Jibreel used to review the Qur'aan with him once each Ramadaan, but in the year in which he died, he reviewed it with him twice, which is why his i'tikaaf was twice as long as usual.
A more likely reason is that he observed i'tikaaf for twenty days in that year because the year before he had been traveling. This is indicated by the report narrated by al-Nasaa'i and Abu Dawood, and classed as saheeh by Ibn Hibbaan and others, from Ubayy ibn Ka'b who said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to observe i'tikaaf during the last ten days of Ramadaan, but he travelled one year and did not observe i'tikaaf, so the following year he observed i'tikaaf for twenty days. Fath al-Baari.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to order that a kind of tent be pitched for him in the mosque, and he would stay in it, keeping away from people and turning to his Lord, so he could be on his own with his Lord in a true sense of the word.
On one occasion he observed i'tikaaf in a small tent, and put a reed mat over the door. Narrated by Muslim, 1167.
Ibn al-Qayyim said in Zaad al-Ma'aad, 2/90: All of this to achieve the spirit and purpose of i'tikaaf, and is the opposite of what the ignorant do, whereby the place of i'tikaaf becomes a place of gathering and meeting with people and chatting to them. This is one thing, and i'tikaaf as observed by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is something else.
He used to stay in the mosque the whole time, and not leave it except to relieve himself. 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: "He would not enter his house for anything except for a need when he was observing i'tikaaf." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2029; Muslim, 297. According to a report narrated by Muslim: "Except for human needs." Al-Zuhri interpreted this as referring to urination and defecation.
He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) made sure he remained clean. He would lean his head out of the mosque into 'Aa'ishah's apartment so that she should wash his head and comb his hair.
Al-Bukhaari (2028) and Muslim (297) narrated that 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to lean his head towards me when he was observing i'tikaaf in the mosque, and I would comb his hair, when I was menstruating." According to a report also narrated by al-Bukhaari: "And I would wash it."
Al-Haafiz said: This hadeeth indicates that it is permissible to clean oneself, put on perfume, wash oneself, comb one's hair etc (when in i'tikaaf). The majority of scholars are of the view that nothing is makrooh except that which it is makrooh to do in the mosque.
When he was in i'tikaaf, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not visit the sick or attend funerals. This was so that he could concentrate fully on conversing with Allaah and achieving the purpose of i'tikaaf, which is to cut oneself off from people and turn to Allaah.
'Aa'ishah said: The Sunnah is for the person in i'tikaaf not to visit the sick or attend funerals, or to be intimate with his wife. But there is nothing wrong with his going out for essential needs. Narrated by Abu Dawood, 2473; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.
"or to be intimate with his wife" means intercourse. This was stated by al-Shawkaani in Nayl al-Awtaar.
Some of his wives used to visit him when he was in i'tikaaf. When she stood up to leave, he would take her home – that was at night.
It was narrated from Safiyyah the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that she came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and visited him when he was in i'tikaaf in the mosque, during the last ten days of Ramadaan. She spoke with him for a while, then she stood up to leave. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stood up with her to take her home. Narrated by al-Bukhaari 2035; Muslim, 2175.
In conclusion, his i'tikaaf was moderate and not harsh. He spent all his time remembering Allaah and turning to Him in worship, seeking Laylat al-Qadr.
See: Zaad al-Ma'aad by Ibn al-Qayyim, 2/90; al-I'tikaaf Nazrah Tarbawiyyah by Dr 'Abd al-Lateef Balto.
Itikaf according to the Sunnah
I'tikaaf is prescribed according to the Qur'aan and Sunnah and scholarly consensus.
In the Qur'aan, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"and We commanded Ibraaheem (Abraham) and Ismaa'eel (Ishmael) 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)" [al-Baqarah 2:125]
"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"[al-Baqarah 2:187]
With regard to the Sunnah, there are many ahaadeeth, such as the hadeeth of 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to observe i'tikaaf during the last ten days of Ramadaan until Allaah took his soul, then his wives observed i'tikaaf after he was gone. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2026; Muslim, 1172.
With regard to scholarly consensus, more than one of the scholars narrated that there was scholarly consensus that i'tikaaf is prescribed in sharee'ah, such as al-Nawawi, Ibn Qudaamah, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, and others.
See al-Majmoo', 6/404; al-Mughni, 4/456; Sharh al-'Umdah, 2/711.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz said in Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 15/437: Undoubtedly i'tikaaf in the mosque is an act of worship, and (observing it) in Ramadaan is better than at other times. It is prescribed in Ramadaan and at other times.
The Ruling on I'tikaaf.
The basic principle is that i'tikaaf is Sunnah, not obligatory, unless one made a vow to do it, in which case it becomes obligatory, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever vows to obey Allaah, let him obey Him, and whoever vows to disobey Him, let him not disobey Him." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6696.
And 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allaah, during the Jaahiliyyah I vowed to observe i'tikaaf for one night in al-Masjid al-Haraam." He said: "Fulfil your vow." (6697).
Ibn al-Mundhir said in his book al-Ijmaa' (p. 53): They were unanimously agreed that i'tikaaf is Sunnah and is not obligatory unless a man obliges himself to do that by making a vow, in which case it becomes obligatory for him. See Fiqh al-I'tikaaf by Dr Khaalid al-Mushayqih, p. 31.
The i'tikaaf which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) always observed at the end of his life is i'tikaaf during the last ten days of Ramadaan. These few days may indeed be regarded as an intensive course of spiritual education which brings immediate positive results in a person's life during the days and nights of Ramadaan and in the coming days, until the next Ramadaan comes.
How great is the Muslims' need to revive this Sunnah and establish it in the proper manner, as the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his companions used to observe it.
How great will be the success of those who adhere to the Sunnah after the ummah has neglected it and become corrupt.
The basic goal of the Prophet's i'tikaaf was to seek Laylat al-Qadr.
Muslim (1167) narrated that Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) observed i'tikaaf during the first ten days of Ramadaan, then he observed i'tikaaf during the middle ten days in a small tent at the door of which was a reed mat. He took the mat in his hand and lifted it. Then he put his head out and spoke to the people, and they came close to him. He said: "I observed i'tikaaf during the first ten days seeking this night, then I observed i'tikaaf during the middle ten days. Then someone came and said to me that it is in the last ten days, so whoever among you wishes to observe i'tikaaf let him do so." So the people observed i'tikaaf with him.
This hadeeth teaches us a number of things:
1-That the basic goal of the i'tikaaf of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was to seek Laylat al-Qadr and to prepare to spend that night in worship. That is because of the great virtue of that night of which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"The Night of Al‑Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allaah in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months)" [al-Qadr 97:3].
2-The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) strove to seek that night before he was told when it is. So he started with the first ten days, then he observed it during the middle ten, then he continued to observe i'tikaaf during the last ten days, when he was told that it is in the last ten days. This is the utmost effort to seek Laylat al-Qadr.
3-The Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) followed the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), because they started i'tikaaf and continued with him until the end of the month, because they were so keen to follow his example.
4-The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was compassionate towards his companions and showed mercy to them, because he knew that i'tikaaf was difficult for them. So he gave them the choice between staying with him or of leaving, and said: "...so whoever among you wishes to observe i'tikaaf let him do so."
There are other aims of i'tikaaf as well, including the following:
1- Being alone with Allaah and cutting oneself off from people if possible, so that one may focus completely on Allaah.
2- Renewing oneself spiritual by focusing totally on Allaah.
3-Cutting oneself off completely in order to worship Allaah with prayer, du'aa', dhikr and reading Qur'aan.
4-Protecting one's fast from everything that may affect it of whims and desires.
5-Reducing permissible worldly pleasures and refraining from many of them even though one is able to enjoy them.
See al-I'tikaaf Nazrah Tarbawiyyah by Dr. 'Abd al-Lateef Balto.
Validity of Itikaf
If the mu'takif (person observing i'tikaaf) goes out of the mosque, his i'tikaaf is invalidated, because i'tikaaf means staying in the mosque to worship Allaah.
That applies unless the mu'takif goes out for an unavoidable reason, such as to relieve himself, to do wudoo' or ghusl, or to bring food if he does not have anyone to bring food to the mosque for him, and other similar matters which cannot be avoided and which cannot be done in the mosque.
Al-Bukhaari (2092) and Muslim (297) narrated that 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used not to enter the house except for things that a person needs when he was observing i'tikaaf.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Mughni (4/466): What is meant by things that a person needs is to urinate and defecate, because every person need to do that. Similarly, he also needs to eat and drink. If he does not have anyone who can bring him food and drink, then he may go out to get them if he needs to. For everything that he cannot do without and cannot do in the mosque, he may go out for that purpose, and that does not invalidate his i'tikaaf, so long as he does not take a long time doing it.
If the mu'takif goes out to do his work, this is something that invalidates i'tikaaf.
The Standing Committee was asked: Is it permissible for the mu'takif to visit someone who is sick or to accept an invitation or to attend to his family's needs or to attend a funeral or to go to work?
They replied: The Sunnah is that the mu'takif should not visit one who is sick during his i'tikaaf, or accept any invitation, or attend to his family's needs, or attend any funeral, or go to work outside the mosque, because it was proven that 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "The Sunnah is for the mu'takif not to visit any sick person, or attend any funeral, or touch his wife or be intimate with her, or to go out for any purpose except those which cannot be avoided." Narrated by Abu Dawood, 2473.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 10/410.
Length of Itikaf
The scholars differed as to the minimum length of time for i'tikaaf.
The majority of scholars are of the view that the minimum length of time is a moment. This is the view of Abu Haneefah and Ahmad. See al-Durr al-Mukhtaar (1/445); al-Majmoo', 6/489; al-Insaaf, 7/566.
Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo', 6/514: With regard to the minimum length of time for i'tikaaf, the majority stipulated that it must be observed in the mosque, and that it is permissible to do a lot or a little, even a hour or a moment.
They quoted several reports as evidence for that:
1 – That i'tikaaf in Arabic means staying, and the word may be applied to a long period of time or a short one; there is no report in sharee'ah that defines it as being a specific length of time.
Ibn Hazm said: I'tikaaf in the language of the Arabs means staying... any stay in the mosque for the sake of Allaah with the intention of drawing closer to Him is i'tikaaf... whether that is for a short time or a long time, because the Qur'aan and Sunnah do not specify any number or length of time. Al-Muhalla, 5/179
2 – Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated that Ya'la ibn Umayyah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I will stay in the mosque for an hour, and I am only staying to observe i'tikaaf. Ibn Hazm quoted this as evidence in al-Muhalla (5/179); it was quoted without comment by al-Haafiz in al-Fath. "Hour" here refers to a period of time but it does not mean an hour in the modern sense of sixty minutes.
Some scholars are of the opinion that the minimum length of i'tikaaf is one day. This was narrated from Abu Haneefah and was the view of some of the Maalikis.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz said in Majmoo' al-Fataawa (15/441): I'tikaaf means staying in the mosque to worship Allaah, whether that is for a long time or a short time, because as far as I know there is no report to indicate a set time, whether one or two days or more. This is an act of worship which is prescribed in Islam unless one vows to do it, in which case it becomes obligatory. This applies equally to men and women.
When to Start Itikaf
With regard to entering the place of i'tikaaf, the majority of scholars (including the four imams Abu Haneefah, Maalik, al-Shaafa'i and Ahmad, may Allaah have mercy on them) are of the view that the one who wants to observe i'tikaaf during the last ten days of Ramadaan should enter his place of i'tikaaf before the sun sets on the night of the twenty-first. They quoted several texts as evidence, including the following:
1 – It was proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to observe i'tikaaf during the last ten nights of Ramadaan, Agreed upon. This indicates that the period of i'tikaaf is counted by the nights, not the days. And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And by the ten nights"[al-Fajr 89:2]
The last ten nights start with the twenty-first.
Based on this, he should enter the mosque before the sun sets on the night of the twenty-first.
2 – They (the scholars) said that one of the greatest aims of i'tikaaf is to seek Laylat al-Qadr, and the night of the twenty-first is one of the odd-numbered nights in the last ten nights of Ramadaan, so it may possibly be Laylat al-Qadr, so he should be observing i'tikaaf on that night. This was stated by al-Sindi in Haashiyat al-Nasaa'i. See al-Mughni, 4/489.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen was asked in Fataawa al-Siyaam (p. 501): When does i'tikaaf begin?
He replied: The majority of scholars are of the view that i'tikaaf should begin on the night of the twenty first, not from Fajr of the twenty-first, although some of the scholars are of the view that i'tikaaf should begin from Fajr of the twenty-first, based on the hadeeth of 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that was narrated by al-Bukhaari: "When he had prayed Fajr he entered his place of i'tikaaf". But the majority of scholars responded by stating that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) withdrew from people in the morning, but the intention to observe i'tikaaf was formed at the beginning of the night, because the last ten nights start when the sun sets on the twentieth.
He also said (p. 503): Entering the place of i'tikaaf for the last ten nights of Ramadaan may be done when the sun sets on the night of the twenty-first, because that is the time when the last ten nights begin. This is not contradicted by the hadeeth of 'Aa'ishah because the wording is different, so it should be understood according to what the language indicates. This is what was narrated by al-Bukhaari (2041) from 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) observed i'tikaaf every Ramadaan and when he had prayed Fajr he would enter the place where he observed i'tikaaf.
Her words "and when he had prayed Fajr he would enter the place where he observed i'tikaaf" indicate that he was already staying in the mosque, meaning that he was in the mosque before he entered he place of i'tikaaf.
With regard to coming out of i'tikaaf:
He should come out when the sun sets on the last day of Ramadaan.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen was asked: When should a person come out of i'tikaaf? Is it after the sun sets on the night of Eid or after Fajr on the day of Eid?
He replied: He should come out of i'tikaaf when Ramadaan ends. Ramadaan ends when the sun sets on the night of Eid. Fataawa al-Siyaam, p. 502.
It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 10/441. The period of i'tikaaf during the (last) ten nights of Ramadaan ends when the sun sets on the last day of the month.
Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo' (6/323): Al-Shaafa'i and his companions said: Whoever would like to follow the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in observing i'tikaaf during the last ten nights of Ramadaan should enter the mosque before the sun sets on the night of the twenty-first, so that he will not miss any of it, and he should come out after the sun sets on the night of Eid, whether the month is twenty-nine days or thirty. It is better for him to stay in the mosque on the night of Eid so that he can offer the Eid prayer there, or go out to the Eid prayer-place if they pray Eid there.
If he goes directly from i'tikaaf to the Eid prayer, it is mustahabb for him to do ghusl and make himself look good before going out, because this is one of the Sunnahs of Eid.
Place for Itikaf
The scholars differed concerning the characteristics of the mosque in which it is permissible to observe i'tikaaf. Some said that it is valid to observe i'tikaaf in any mosque, even if prayers in congregation are not held there, based on the general meaning of the verse in which
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"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" [al-Baqarah 2:187]
Imam Ahmad was of the view that it is conditional upon it being in a mosque in which prayers are held in congregation. He quoted the following evidence for that:
1 – The words of 'Aa'ishah: "There should be no i'tikaaf except in a mosque in which prayers in congregation are held (masjid jamaa'ah)." Narrated by al-Bayhaqi, classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in his essay Qiyaam Ramadaan.
2 – Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "There should be no i'tikaaf except in a mosque in which prayer is established." Al-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 5/212.
3 – If a person observes i'tikaaf in a mosque in which prayers in congregation are not held, this will lead to one of two things:
(i) Either he will miss prayer in congregation, and it is not permissible for a man to miss prayer in congregation without a valid excuse.
(ii) Or he will go out a great deal in order to pray in another mosque, which defeats the purpose of i'tikaaf. See al-Mughni, 4/461.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen said in al-Sharh al-Mumti' (6/312): I'tikaaf is not valid unless it is observed in a mosque in which people gather (to pray)?
Is what is meant a mosque in which Jumu'ah prayers are held, or one in which prayers in congregation (jamaa'ah) are held?
The answer is: a mosque in which prayers in congregation are held; it does not have to be one in which Jumu'ah prayers are held, because the mosque in which prayers in congregation are not held is not a mosque in the true sense of the word, such as if the mosque has been abandoned by its people or they have moved away.
It is not essential that the mosque be one in which Jumu'ah prayers are held, because Jumu'ah does not happen repeatedly and going out to attend Jumu'ah does not affect i'tikaaf, unlike the five daily prayers which happen repeatedly every day and night.
This condition – that the mosque be one in which prayers are held in congregation – applies if the person observing i'tikaaf is a man. If it is a woman, her i'tikaaf is valid in any mosque, even if it is one in which prayers are not held in congregation, because prayer in congregation is not obligatory for woman.
Ibn Qudaamah said in al-Mughni: A woman may observe i'tikaaf in any mosque; it does not have to be one in which prayers are held in congregation, because that is not obligatory for women. This is the view of al-Shaafa'i.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen said in al-Sharh al-Mumti' (6/313): If a woman observes i'tikaaf in a mosque in which prayers are not held in congregation, there is nothing wrong with that because she does not have to pray in congregation.
Itikaf for Women
The scholars are agreed that a man's i'tikaaf is only valid if observed in the mosque, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"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" [al-Baqarah 2:187]
So i'tikaaf is something that should be done specifically in the mosque. See al-Mughni, 4/461
With regard to women, the majority of scholars are of the view that as in the case of men, their i'tikaaf is not valid unless it is observed in the mosque, because of the verse quoted above (interpretation of the meaning):
"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" [al-Baqarah 2:187]
The wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) asked him for permission to observe i'tikaaf in the mosque and he gave them permission, and they used to observe i'tikaaf in the mosque after he died.
If it were permissible for a woman to observe i'tikaaf in her house, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would have told them to do that, because it is better for a woman to remain concealed in her house than to go out to the mosque.
Some of the scholars were of the view that it is valid for a woman to observe i'tikaaf in the "mosque" of her house, which is the place that she allocates for prayer in her house. But the majority of scholars said that this is not allowed and said that the place where she prays in her house is not called a masjid (mosque) except by way of metaphor, and it is not really a mosque, so it does not come under the rulings on mosques, hence it is permissible for people who are junub and menstruating women to enter it. See al-Mughni, 4/464.
Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo' (6/505): It is not valid for men or women to observe i'tikaaf anywhere but in the mosque; it is not valid in the mosque of a woman's house or the mosque of a man's house, which is a space that is set aside for prayer.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked in Majmoo' al-Fataawa (20/264) about where a woman who wants to observe i'tikaaf should do so?
He replied: If a woman wants to observe i'tikaaf, she should observe i'tikaaf in the mosque so long as that does not involve anything that is forbidden according to sharee'ah. If that does involve anything that is forbidden then she should not do i'tikaaf.
In al-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah (5/212) it says: The scholars differed as to where women should observe i'tikaaf. The majority are of the view that woman are like men, and their i'tikaaf is not valid unless observed in the mosque. Based on this it is not valid for a woman to observe i'tikaaf in the mosque of her house, because of the report narrated from Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) who asked about a woman who vowed to observe i'tikaaf in the mosque of her house. He said: "(This is) an innovation, and the most hateful of actions to Allaah are innovations (bid'ah)." So there can be no i'tikaaf except in a mosque in which prayers are established. And the mosque of a house is not a mosque in the real sense of the word and does not come under the same rulings; it is permissible to change it, and for a person who is junub to sleep in it. Moreover if it were permissible (to observe i'tikaaf at home), the Prophet's wives (may Allaah be pleased with them) would have done that at least once to show that it is permissible.
May Allah accepts all our prayers and give us a chance to reuvenate ourselves in this blessed month so that we hold onto the right path and never go astray.AMEEN :) :)
Jazakallahkhair
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