Seclusion in the Mosque and Night Prayers in Ramadan

(1) - Aboo Hurayrah related that Allah’s Messenger (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, “He who prays during the nights of Ramadan faithfully and seeking his reward from Allah will be forgiven his past sins.”

Collected by al-Bukhari and Muslim[1]

(2) - ‘A’ishah narrated that Allah’s Messenger (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) stayed awake at night, and awoke his family on the last ten nights of Ramadan.

Collected by al-Bukhari and Muslim. [2]

(3) - ‘Aishah reported that the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam)  used to seclude himself in the mosque during the last ten days of Ramadan until Allah, Who is Great and Glorious, took his soul, and then his wives followed this practice after his death.

Collected by al-Bukhari and Muslim. [3]

This hadeeth contains evidence that seclusion in the mosque (i‘tikaaf) is Sunnah which Allah’s Messenger (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) did continually and his wives did after him [4].

Aboo Daawood narrated from Ahmad that he said, “I do not know from any scholar a difference of opinion regarding seclusion being from the Sunnah.”

As regards the intent for seclusion, it is focusing the heart on Allah, Most High, through seclusion along with emptying the stomach and turning to the Almighty, taking pleasure from remembering Him and turning away from everything else besides Him.

(4) - ‘Aa’ishah narrated that whenever the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) intended to seclude himself in the mosque; he prayed the dawn prayer and then entered his place of seclusion.

Collected by al-Bukhari and Muslim. [5]

This hadeeth contains proof that the beginning of the time for seclusion is after the Morning Prayer (salaatul-fajr), as is evident from the text. This hadeeth is contradicted by those who say that he should enter the mosque after the beginning of the time for Fajr if he is going into seclusion during the day, and after sunset if he is going into seclusion during the night. They interpret this hadeeth to mean that Fajr would begin while he was in the mosque and after he prayed the morning prayer, he would seclude himself in the place which he prepared for i‘tikaaf. I say that its being farfetched is obvious, for it was his habit not to leave his home except at the time of the iqaamah.

(5) - Aa’ishah said, “Allah’s Messenger (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) would sometimes lay his head on my lap, when he was in the mosque, and I would comb his hair for him. When he was secluded in the mosque he would not enter his house unless it was for a dire need.

Collected by al-Bukhari and Muslim. The wording is that of al-Bukhari.

(6) - ‘Aa’ishah said that the Sunnah for one who is secluded in a mosque is not to visit the sick, nor attend a burial, nor fondle his wife, nor go out for anything except for what was an absolute necessity. Seclusion in a mosque is not valid without fasting, and it must be carried out in a congregational mosque.

Collected by Aboo Daawood and its transmitters are authentic, but the strongest opinion is that the last part was the personal opinion of ‘Aa’ishah[6]

The phrase “the last part,” above refers to the text following, “Seclusion in a mosque is not valid without fasting…” The author said that ad-Daaraqutnee insisted that the portion of the hadeeth which was ‘Aa’ishah’s own words was “he did not go out for anything except for what was an absolute necessity,” and the rest was from those after her according to Fat’hul-Baaree. Here he said: The last part of it was the opinion of ‘Aa’ishah (mawqoof).

It indicates that the person in seclusion should not leave the mosque for the things mentioned in this narration and that he should also not leave to attend Jumu‘ah and that if he did any of these things it would invalidate his seclusion. There is a major difference of opinion on this issue, however, the evidence supports what I mentioned. There is a difference concerning fasting being a condition for seclusion. This limited hadeeth indicates that it is a condition. There are narrations which negate the condition of fasting and others which affirm it, but all of them do not reach the level of evidence. Except that seclusion is known from the Prophet’s action and he only went into seclusion while fasting. As for his seclusion in the first ten days of Shawwaal, what is obvious is that he fasted them and he did not go into seclusion except on the second of Shawwaal because the day of ‘Eed he was busy with the ‘Eed prayer, sermon and his going out to jabaanah, except that his action alone is not sufficient to establish a condition. As for the condition that it be in a mosque, the majority are in agreement, except for some scholars. The intent behind it being a “congregational mosque” is that the five daily prayers are done there, which was the opinion of Ahmad and Aboo Haneefah, while the majority held that it could be done in any mosque except for one obliged to make Jumu‘ah. Ash-Shaafi‘ee preferred it in the congregational mosque and it is similar to the fast in that the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) only made seclusion in his mosque which was a congregational mosque.

Among the hadeeths which indicate that fasting is not a condition is the following:

(7) - Ibn ‘Abbaas narrated that the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam)  said, “Fasting is not incumbent on one who is observing a period of private devotion, but it is up to him to fast or not place it on himself.”

Collected by ad-Daaraqutnee and al-Haakim, and the strongest opinion is that it was also the opinion of Ibn ‘Abbaas. [7]

(8) - Ibn ‘Umar reported that some of the Prophet’s (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) companions dreamt that Laylatul-Qadr was among the last seven nights (of Ramadan), so Allah’s Messenger (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, “I see that your dreams agree regarding the last seven nights, so if anyone seeks it, he should do so during the last seven nights.”

Collected by al-Bukhari and Muslim. [8]

(9) - Mu‘aawiyah ibn Abee Sufyaan related that regarding Laylatul-Qadar, the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, “It is the twenty-seventh night.”

Collected by Aboo Daawood [9] and the strongest opinion is that it was Mu‘aawiyah’s opinion. Ibn Hajr said “There are forty different sayings about which night Laylatul-Qadr is, and I made mention of them in Fat’hul-Baaree.

(10) - ‘Aa’ishah said, “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! What prayers should I say if I know which night is Lailatul-Qadr?” He said, “Say, O Allah, You are Forgiving and You love forgiveness, so forgive me.”

Collected by the five excluding Aboo Daawood. At-Tirmithee and al-Haakim declared it sound. [10]

(11) - Abee Sa‘eed al-Khudree quoted Allah’s Messenger (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) as saying, “Only for prayer in three mosques should animals be saddled: The Sacred Mosque, this mosque of mine, and the Aqsaa Mosque.”

Collected by al- Bukhari and Muslim. [11]