The I'tikaaf

The I'tikaaf [1]

The i'tikaaf is staying in a masjid during which one dedicates his time worshipping Allah, the Exalted, in a specific manner. It applies to men and women alike. It is valid without observing fasting, and is recommended at all times. It is more so during the month of Ramadhan, and most recommended during the last ten days of it.

• Choosing a masjid in which congregational prayer is held is a condition for the validity of i'tikaaf. It would not be valid if it is observed by a person who is junub, [2]or by a woman in menstruation'

• The best masjid for observing i'tikaaf is aI-Masjid al-Haram,[3] for one prayer performed in it equals in reward, one hundred thousand prayers, then the Masjid of the Prophet, peace be upon him, [4]in which one prayer equals one thousand prayers, then Al-Masjid al-Aqsa,[5] in which one prayer equals five hundred prayers.

• He who vows to observe i'tikaaf in one of the above three masjids, must fulfill his vow, but if he vows to observe it in other than those three, he does not have to fulfill his vow in that particular masjid, rather any masjid would serve the purpose.

• He who vows to observe i'tikaaf at a certain time, he should enter the masjid before the first night of i’tikaaf and quit it after the last night of i'tikaaf.

• It is praiseworthy for the mu'takif,[6] to occupy himself with the dhikr, reading from the Qur'an and supplications. He should refrain from worldly matters, and matters that do not concern him in particular.

• It is permissible for the mu'takif to leave the masjid for the call of nature, or to attend to an urgent need, perform ablution, or to join the Jum'ah prayer, or the like.

• Leaving the masjid for no valid reason nullifies the i'tikaaf and so does having a sexual intercourse.