Doing an Itikaf?

Question

Can we do an Itikaf at home in a seperate bedroom with a curtain during the last 10 days of Ramadan? If there is a problem getting to the mosque and no tranportation is it premissible to do it at home?

This question is for my husband. But he has no way to get to the mosque. It's too far and we dont have a car. Can he do it in home in a seperate room?

Answer 1

one of my friend's grandmother do Ethikaf at home. but i have no idea how its done at home

Answer 2

Always adress such questions of masa'il to the learned ulama otherwise you'll get so many mixed answers and you'll be confused. The ulama are the experts in this field. Try the Islamic Dawah Academy who have a fatwa department every week day between 3-4.30pm on 0116 262 5440.

Answer 3

Itikaf is one of the tanwin of Arabic letters

Answer 4

Yes but i believe u need to do it in a separate room only leaving to go to the toilet and food and water can be left outside the room for that person. It is permissible to do it at home bcos i have an aunty who did it at home.

Answer 5

yes u can do itikaaf in ur home in a seperate room ,,,but make sure the person whos doing the itikaaf is not getting disturb by any noise coz he needs concentration to do his prayers,,so its best to do it in a seperate room instead of a curtain in the middle of a bedroom....coz he could get distracted with the curtains, as he can see through it .

Answer 6

No, it has be done in a Mosque. And there is a difference of opinion whether it is to be done in only the 3 great Mosques. Makkah, Madeenah and Aqsah.

THE MESSENGER OF ALLAAH (صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) USED TO OBSERVE I’TIKAAF DURING THE LAST TEN DAYS OF RAMADAAN


It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَعْتَكِفُ الْعَشْرَ
الأَوَاخِرَ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ
The Messenger of Allaah (صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) used to observe i’tikaaf during the last ten days of Ramadaan. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2025; Muslim, 1171.

This hadeeth points to the virtue of observing i’tikaaf in the mosque, especially during the last ten nights of Ramadan, because the Prophet (صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) used to observe i’tikaaf during the last ten days of Ramadaan until he died. Whatever the Prophet (صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) used to do by way of acts or worship to draw closer to Allaah is recommended to us.

I'tikaaf (“retreat” for the purpose of worship) means staying in the mosque as an act of worship in order to draw closer to Allaah, done on an individual basis in a specific manner.

Al-Qurtubi said in his Tafseer: The scholars are unanimously agreed that i’tikaaf can only be observed in the mosque because of the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning): وأنتم عاكفون في المساجد
“…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 scholars are also unanimously agreed that i’tikaaf is not obligatory, rather it is a voluntary (naafil) act of worship which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), his companions and his wives did.

It is more emphasized in Ramadaan because of the evidence quoted above. The one who enters the mosque should not have make an intention (niyyah) of observing i’tikaaf for the duration of his stay, because there is no evidence to that effect.

This is the view of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him). Al-Ba’li al-Hanbali said in al-Ikhtiyaaraat: Abu’l-‘Abbaas [i.e., Ibn Taymiyah] did not think that the one who goes to the mosque to pray etc has to have the intention of observing i’tikaaf for the duration of his stay. Al-Ikhtiyaaraat al-Fiqhiyyah, p. 144.

It is not correct to observe i’tikaaf anywhere but in a mosque where prayers in congregation are held. If a person’s i’tikaaf will include a Jumu’ah prayer and he can observe it in a Jaami’ mosque (one where Jumu’ah prayers are held), then that is more on the safe side, because some of the scholars stipulate this as a condition (of i’tikaaf).

One should enter the place where one is going to observe i’tikaaf after Fajr prayer, because ‘Aa’ishah said:
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم
إذا أراد أن يعتكف صلى الفجر ثم دخل معتكفه
When the Messenger of Allaah (صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) wanted to observe i’tikaaf, he would pray Fajr and then enter his place of i’tikaaf.

I'tikaaf in the mosque during the last ten days of Ramadaan brings great benefits. It is a temporary withdrawal from worldly affairs and distractions, and a complete turning to Allaah. It is a cutting off from being distracted by people, especially at the end of this blessed month. It is a completion of the benefits of the month, where the fasting person can catch up whatever he has missed of focus, peace of mind and turning completely to Allaah.

Because the person who is in i’tikaaf is cutting himself off to worship Allaah in one of His houses, he is not allowed to engage in intimacy with women, whether by intercourse, kissing, etc.

He is also forbidden to go out except for essential personal needs, such as doing ghusl if he becomes junub because of a wet dream, or if he needs to urinate or defecate, if there is no washroom in the mosque where he can relieve himself or do ghusl. He can also go out to get food if there is no one to bring food to him.

‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said:
السنة في المعتكف أن لا يخرج إلا لحاجته التي لا بد منها
The Sunnah for the person in i’tikaaf is for him not to come out except for essential needs.

With regard to his coming out for acts of worship and obedience that are not obligatory, such as visiting a sick person, attending a funeral and so on, he should not do that unless he stipulated that as a condition at the beginning of his i’tikaaf.

If he falls sick during his i’tikaaf, if it is a mild sickness which will not make it too difficult for him to stay in the mosque, such as a headache, toothache, sore eye, etc, that does not require bed-rest, then he is not permitted to leave, because he can be given some medicines where he is, so going out would invalidate his i’tikaaf.

If the sickness is severe and it is too difficult for him to stay in the mosque because he needs bed-rest or to go to the doctor, then it is permissible for him to go out because of his need. If he recovers he should go back into i’tikaaf and start from where he left off. And Allaah knows best.

The person who observes i’tikaaf should understand the wisdom behind i’tikaaf and spend his time in prayer, reading Qur’aan and dhikr. He should make good use of his time. He can also seek knowledge and read books on Tawheed, Tafseer and hadeeth, and other useful books.

There is nothing wrong with speaking briefly in permissible ways to his family and others if that serves a legitimate purpose, because of the hadeeth of Safiyyah (may Allaah be pleased with her). And Allaah knows best.

Ahaadeeth al-Siyaam by al-Fawzaan, p. 137.

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