By Asma bint Shameem
I‘tekaaf means staying in the masjid to worship Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala and draw close to Him.
Allaah says:
“and We commanded Ibraaheem and Ismaa’eel that they should purify My House (the Kaa‘bah) for those who are circumambulating it, or staying (I’tekaaf), or bowing or prostrating themselves (there, in prayer)”
(Surah al-Baqarah 2:125)
And al-I’tekaaf is a confirmed Sunnah of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam, and the Sunnah of his Sahaabah.
Aa'ishah radhi Allaahu anhaa said:
“The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam used to observe i'tikaaf during the last ten days of Ramadaan until Allaah took his soul, then his wives observed i’tikaaf after he was gone.”
(al-Bukhaari, 2026; Muslim, 1172)
What is the purpose of observing Itekaaf?
The purpose of Itekaaf is to seclude oneself for some time in the masjid to worship Allaah and to seek Laylatul Qadr.
That was the main reason the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam observed Itekaaf.
He Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said regarding Laylatul Qadr:
“I observed i’tekaaf during the first ten days seeking this night, then I observed i’tekaaf 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’tekaaf let him do so.”
So the people observed i’tekaaf with him.” (Saheeh Muslim 1167)
Where is I'tekaaf done?
Al-I’tekaaf is valid ONLY if it’s done in the masjid.
And it’s not valid anywhere else.
Shaikh Ibn Uthaymeen said:
“Shar’i i’tikaaf must be in the masjid, because Allaah says: “… while you are in I‘tikaaf in the masaajid” [al-Baqarah 2:187].”
(Fataawa Noor ‘ala al-Darb(8/176)
How long should I do Itekaaf for?
The Sunnah Itekaaf lasts for ten nights.
Aa’ishah radhi Allaahu anhaa said:
“The Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam used to observe I’tekaaf in the last ten nights of Ramadhaan.”
(al-Bukhaari 2026; Muslim, 1172)
But I can’t stay for 10 days. Can I stay for a few days or even a few hours?
Although it’s Sunnah to stay for the whole ten nights, we can stay for less than that, if it’s not possible some reason, even if it’s for an hour.
Ibn Hazm said:
“I’tekaaf in the language of the Arabs means staying… any stay in the masjid for the sake of Allaah with the intention of drawing closer to Him is i’tekaaf… whether that is for a short time or a long time, because the Qur’aan and Sunnah do not specify any number or length of time.”
(Al-Muhalla, 5/179)
When do I begin my I'tekaaf?
The last ten nights start with the night of the 21st of Ramadhaan.
And since the night comes before the day in Islaam, we should start Itekaaf when the sun sets on the day of the 20th fast.
Shaikh Ibn Uthaymeen said:
“Entering the place of i’tekaaf for the last ten nights of Ramadhaan may be done when the sun sets on the night of the twenty-first, (the night after the 20th day of Ramadhaan), because that is the time when the last ten nights begin.”
[Fataawa al-Siyaam (p. 503)]
When does it end?
I’tekaaf ends when the sun sets on the last day of Ramadhaan and we see the new moon of Shawwaal.
Shaikh Ibn Uthaymeen said:
“He should come out of i’tekaaf when Ramadhaan ends. Ramadhaan ends when the sun sets on the night of Eid.”
(Fataawa al-Siyaam, p. 502)
What should I do in I’tekaaf?
The purpose of I’tekaaf is to seclude ourselves for the worship of Allaah and seek Laylatul Qadr.
So we should keep to ourselves and get busy with Nawaafil, reading Qur’aan, making dhikr, Taubah, Duaa etc during our I’tekaaf, to the best of our ability.
We shouldn’t be wasting time or talk unnecessarily.
Can I talk to people or visit with them?
We may talk to people “briefly”, but we shouldn’t get too carried away and therefore get distracted from our main purpose of I’tekaaf... the ibaadah of Allaah.
Ali ibn Husayn said that Safiyyah radhi Allaahu anhaa told him that she came to the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam to visit him when he was in I‘tekaaf in the masjid during the last ten days of Ramadhaan, and she spoke to him for a while, then she got up to leave, and the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam got up with her.”
(Al-Bukhaari 2035 and Muslim 2175)
Based on that Shaikh Ibn Uthaymeen said:
“There is nothing wrong with him talking briefly to his companions who are with him in i‘tekaaf or who have come in to visit him.”
(Jalasaat Ramadhaaniyyah(18/15)
Can I use my phone or laptop?
We can use our phones or laptops etc if we want to listen to some good Islaamic lecture or read something about our Deen, or even read the Qur’aan.
But we shouldn’t be using them for worldly reasons and get distracted.
Can I bathe, etc?
Yes we’re allowed to bathe, brush our hair and teeth, comb our hair, etc and generally be clean and hygienic.
Our Mother Aaishah radhi Allaahu anhaa said:
“The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam used to lean his head towards me when he was observing i’tekaaf in the masjid, and I would comb his hair (wash it- according to another narration) when I was menstruating.” (al-Bukhaari 2028)
Can I leave the Masjid for any reason?
If we’re observing I’tekaaf, we should try our best to stay in the masjid and not leave for any reason. Otherwise the I’tekaaf gets invalidated.
Aaishah radhi Allaahu anhaa said:
“He would not enter his house for anything except for a need when he was observing i'tikaaf.” (al-Bukhaari, 2029; Muslim, 297)
“When the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam observed i’tekaaf, he did not enter the house except to relieve himself.” (Saheeh Muslim)
We can leave the masjid if there’s a need, such as to use the bathroom or take a shower, or buy food, etc if such things are not available to us while at the masjid.
The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam left his I'tekaaf for a short while to drop Safiyyah radhi Allaahu anhaa back home as per the hadeeth above from al-Bukhaari and Muslim.
Can I go to work while observing I’tekaaf?
No. Going to work will invalidate the I’tekaaf because we’re supposed to stay at the masjid for worship and turn away from all else.
The scholars said:
“The Sunnah is that the mu’takif (the one observing I’tekaaf) should not visit one who is sick during his i’tikaaf, or accept any invitation, or attend to his family’s needs, or attend any funeral, or go to work outside the masjid, because it was proven that ‘Aa’ishah radhi Allaahu anhaa said: “The Sunnah is for the mu’takif not to visit any sick person, or attend any funeral, or touch his wife or be intimate with her, or to go out for any purpose except those which cannot be avoided.” (Abu Dawood, 2473).”
(Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 10/410)
What happens if there’s an emergency?
If there’s an emergency like someone passed away or someone got sick or hurt, etc then we can break the Itekaaf and there’s no sin for that.
That’s because Itekaaf is a voluntary ibaadah and not something obligatory.
Imaam al-Nawawi said:
“For a person in i’tekaaf who is so sick that it is too hard for him to stay in the masjid because he needs to be in his bed, and he needs to be helped and to be visited by the doctor etc, it is permissible for him to leave the masjid” (al-Majmoo’ (6/545)
Can I do Itekaaf on days other than Ramadhaan?
The scholars of the Standing Committee said:
“Yes, it is permissible to observe i'tikaaf at any time, but the best is to do so during the last ten days of Ramadhaan, following the example of the Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam and his companions (may Allaah be pleased with them). It was narrated that the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam also observed i'tekaaf during Shawwaal in some years.”
(Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas, Fataawa al-Lajnah, 10/410)
What about I’tekaaf for women ?
Women can observe I’tekaaf just like the men.
However they have to do it at the masjid and not at home.
That’s because I’tekaaf is valid only in the masjid and not anywhere else.
Imaam an-Nawawi said:
“It is not correct for a man or a woman to observe i'tekaaf anywhere except in the masjid.
It is not valid in the prayer-place of a woman’s house or the prayer-place of a man’s house, which is a separate area set aside for prayer.”
(al-Majmoo’ )
And Allaah knows best.
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