Prophet's Guidance Concerning I’tikaf

The guidance of the Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, is the most perfect and straightforward of guidance and teaching. When he wanted to do I’tikaf, he would have a bed or mattress put in the mosque for him, behind the Column of Repentance, as reported in the hadeeth from Naafi’ from Ibn ‘Umar from the Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him,: “When he, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, wanted to do I’tikaf, he would have his mattress or his bed placed behind the Column of Repentance.” (Narrated by Ibn Maajah, 1/564).

The Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, used to have a tent put up for him, and he would stay in it, apart from the times of prayer, so that he could be truly secluded. This was in the mosque and it is probable that the tent would be placed over his bed or mattress, as reported in the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: “The Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, used to do I’tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadhan, and I used to put up a tent for him. He would pray Fajr, then go into the tent…” (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 4/810, Fath al-Baari).

He used to stay in the mosque all the time and not go out except in the case of “human need”, i.e. to pass urine or stools. ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “… he would not enter the house unless he needed to, when he was in I’tikaf.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 4/808 Fath al-Baari).

The Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, used to have his food and drink brought to him when he was in I’tikaf, as Saalim narrated: “His food and drink were brought to him in the place where he was doing I’tikaf.” (p.75).

He, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, used to keep clean, as he used to put his head out into ‘Aa’ishah’s room for her to comb his hair. According to a hadeeth narrated from ‘Urwah from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), she used to comb the hair of the Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, when he was in I’tikaf and she was menstruating, and he was in I’tikaf in the mosque, and she was in her room; he would lean his head towards her. (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 4/807 Fath al-Baari).

Ibn Hajar said:

“The hadeeth indicates that it is permissible to keep clean, apply perfume, wash, shave and adorn oneself, by analogy with combing. The majority agree that there is nothing makrooh in I’tikaf except that which is viewed as being makrooh in the mosque.” (4/807 Fath al-Baari).

The Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him,  did not visit the sick or attend funerals when he was in I’tikaf, so that he could focus and devote all his attention to worshipping Allah. According to a hadeeth narrated from ‘Aa’ishah: “The Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, would pass by a sick person when he was in I’tikaf, and he would not stop to ask him how he was.” It was also reported from ‘Urwah that she said: “The Sunnah for the person who is in I’tikaf is that he should not visit the sick or attend funerals, or touch his wife or have intercourse with her, or go out for any but the most pressing of needs. There is no I’tikaf except with fasting, and there is no I’tikaf except in a Jaami’ Masjid.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, 2/333).

The wives of the Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, used to visit him in the place where he was doing I’tikaf. It so happened that he came out to take one of them home, and this was for a reason, as it was night time. This was reported in the hadeeth of ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn: “Safiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) came to the Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, when he was in I’tikaf, and when she went back he walked with her. A man from among the Ansaar saw him, and when he [the Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] saw him, he called him and said, ‘Come here, this is Safiyyah.’” Sufyaan [one of the narrators] may have said: “This is Safiyyah; for the Shaytaan runs through the veins of the son of Adam like blood.’” I [one of the narrators] said to Sufyaan, ‘Did she come to him at night?’ He said, ‘Could she have come at any time other than at night?’ (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 4/819).

The Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, thought that it was essential for him to go out with her (may Allah be pleased with her) because it was night, so he went out with her from the place where he was doing I’tikaf, in order to take her home.

In conclusion therefore: the example of the Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, was characterized by striving, and he spent most of the time in the mosque, devoting himself to worshipping Allah and seeking Laylat al-Qadr.