AL-I-TIKAAF

 Muslims Till Death:

AS SALAAMU ALAYKUM WARAHMATULLAH WABARAKAATUHU. LET'S START TONIGHT'S EDUCATION. OUR TOPIC IS 👇.                                                                              *AL-I-TIKAAF                                                                                                                              

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*I'tikaf is the act of worship that requires you to retire to a mosque during the last ten days of Ramadan to devote yourself exclusively to acts of worship..* The last 10 days is that period you need to get more serious with one's acts of worship and going for I'tikaaf is no doubt the best way to go about this. While many of us are yet to make up our minds, many others cannot wait to start I'tikaaf.I'tikaaf is the act of worship that requires you to retire to a mosque during the last ten days of Ramadan to devote yourself exclusively to acts of worship day and night.
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I'tikaf is the practice of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and he was said to have practised it till he died.
Narrated by Abu Said Al-Khudri. Allah's apostle used to practice I'tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan. Ibn

Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to observe I

tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan. Observing I'tikaf makes one stay away from sins and attain rewards for all his good deeds. And since it is observed till the end of Ramadan, it makes us end the holy month on a good note. *I'tikaf is the act of worship that requires you to retire to a mosque during the last ten days of Ramadan to devote yourself exclusively to acts of worship..*
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The last 10 days is that period you need to get more serious with one's acts of worship and going for I'tikaaf is no doubt the best way to go about this. While many of us are yet to make up our minds, many others cannot wait to start I'tikaaf. Can we just sit and examine how far we've gone in Ramadan?. Going to I'tikaf however is not just going to sit in the mosque and stay idle or sleep all the time. A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that when the last ten nights began Allah's Messenger (SAW) kept awake at night (for prayer and devotion), wakened his family, and prepared himself to observe prayer (with more vigour).
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*So, we don't go to I'tikaf to discuss politics, sports or any other worldly affairs. We go to I'tikaf solely to worship Allah*. It is few days into I'tikaf and I hope we join other Muslims in your community to observe it in any mosque of your choice?. 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]*
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"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]*. *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?.
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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. *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*
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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.
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See al-Mughni, 4/464. Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo’ (6/505): 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)”.
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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. 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.
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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.
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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.

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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:
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"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. It is better for a Muslim to observe i’tikaaf during all of the last ten days, following the example of the Prophet (PBUH). Al-Bukhaari and Muslim narrated from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (PBUH) used to spend the last ten days of Ramadaan in ‘i’tikaaf, until he passed away.
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Narrated by al-Bukhaari (2025) and Muslim (1171). *If he cannot spend all of the last ten days in i’tikaaf, and he limits himself to some of the days or nights, there is nothing wrong with that*. Al-Bukhaari narrated that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) vowed to spend one night in i’tikaaf in al-Masjid al-Haraam, and the Prophet (PBUH) told him to fulfil his vow. Narrated by al-Bukhaari (2042) and Muslim (1656).This indicates that it is valid to observe i'tikaaf for one night. there is no minimum for i’tikaaf and we quoted a fatwa from Shaykh Ibn Baaz concerning that. What you should do is strive hard in worship during those nights, and strove to earn as much hasanah as much as you can. 

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End of Today's Education. Subhanakallahuma wabihamdik ash-Hadu an laaila Ilan Anta astagfiruka wa atuuubu ilayhi. *That's all  on this topic.*. Questions, problems and complaints on this program are welcome privately. May HE strengthen and make us steadfast in faith. May HE accept our ibaadat and grant us the Good in this World and the Hereafter. May Allah Azza wa jalla forgive and grant us Jannah...AMIN.