The basic goal of i’tikaaf – why have the Muslims forsaken this Sunnah?

Q)  Why have the Muslims forsaken i’tikaaf, even though it is the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? What is the purpose of i’tikaaf?

 

A)  Praise be to Allaah.  

 

Firstly: 

 

I’tikaaf is one of the confirmed Sunnahs which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did regularly. 

 

See the evidence for its being prescribed in the answer to question no. 48999. 

 

This Sunnah has disappeared from the lives of the Muslims apart from those on whom Allaah has mercy. It is like many Sunnahs which the Muslims have virtually forsaken. 

 

There are several reasons for this, including the following: 

 

1- Weakness of faith in many hearts

 

2- Increased focus on worldly pleasures and desires, which leads to an inability to keep away from them even for a short time.

 

3- Lack on interest in Paradise on the part of many, and their inclination towards leisure and relaxation, so that they do not want to put up with the hardship of i’tikaaf even for the sake of earning Allaah’s pleasure.

 

Whoever understands the significance of Paradise and the greatness of its delights will sacrifice his life and that which is most precious to him in order to attain it. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The reward of Allaah is precious, the reward of Allaah is Paradise.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani, 2450.

 

4- Many people pay lip-service to the love of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), without acting upon it and implementing various aspects of the Sunnah, including i’tikaaf. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

 

“Indeed in the Messenger of Allaah (Muhammad) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes for (the Meeting with) Allaah and the Last Day, and remembers Allaah much”

 

[al-Ahzaab 33:21]

 

Ibn Katheer said (3/756):

 

This verse represents a major principle: that we should follow the example of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in word and deed in all situations. 

 

Some of the salaf (early generations of Islam) found it odd that people did not observe i’tikaaf even the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) persisted in doing so. Ibn Shihaab al-Zuhri said: It is strange that the Muslims have given up i’tikaaf when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not give it up from the time he entered Madeenah until Allaah took him (in death). 

 

Secondly: 

 

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.  

 

Thirdly: 

 

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.

 

Islam Q&A

The guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) regarding i’tikaaf

Q)  I would like to know the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) with regard to i’tikaaf.

 

A)  Praise be to 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.

 

 

Islam Q&A