In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate

"May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You"

Praise be to Allaah, we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our
bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear
witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah

As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu

Virtues Of Itikaaf
By A Student Of Darul Uloom, Holcombe, Bury
http://www.inter-islam.org/Lifestyle/Itikaaf.html

It used to be the general practice of the Messenger of Allah to

perform Itikaaf in the Holy month of Ramadhan. At times he used to
remain in the masjid for the whole month and in the year of his
demise, he was in Itikaaf for twenty days. Because he usually secluded
himself in the masjid for the last ten days of Ramadhan, the ulama
consider it sunnah muakkadah to perform Itikaaf for that period.

Ibn Abbas relates that the Messenger of Allah said, "The person
performing Itikaaf remains free from sins and he is indeed given the
same reward as those who do good deeds (in spite of not having done
these deeds). (Ibn Majah)

This hadith mentions two great benefits of Itikaaf. The first is that the
person performing Itikaaf avoids sins. The world around us is full of
temptations and more often than not one falls into them. To commit
sins in this blessed month is indeed a great injustice to ourselves.
Through remaining secluded in the masjid, one completely avoids the
temptation of doing a sin.

Another benefit is that when one is secluded in the masjid, one is

apparently at a disadvantage by not being able to perform certain

Itikaaf 1 of 17
good deeds like joining in funeral prayers, attending burials, visiting
the sick, etc. But according to this hadith, one is rewarded for even
those deeds which he could not perform as a result of his Itikaaf.

Worship
The purpose of our creation is to worship our Creator.
And I (Allah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should
worship Me (alone). I seek not any provision from them nor do I ask
that they should feed Me. Verily, Allah is the All-Provider, Owner of
Power, the Most Strong.
(Surah 51)

This verse is telling us that Allah created man for His worship, and that
He will reward him fully for his obedience but will punish him for His
disobedience. This verse also makes clear the fact that we are
dependent upon Him for our survival while He has no need for us.

This point has also been made in a hadith, recorded by Ahmad in which
the Prophet stated that Allah the Almighty says, "O son of Adam
engage and devote yourself in My worship and I will fill your heart with
contentment and I will fulfil your needs but (on the other hand) if you
do not do this, I will fill your heart with concern and apprehension and
nor will I provide for you."

One of the most effective ways of carrying out this command is by

performing Itikaaf since it is one of the most efficient means of fulfilling
the purpose of worship.

What Is Itikaaf ?
Literally Itikaaf means to apply oneself assiduously to something.
Technically (in the terminology of the Shariah) it means to remain in a
masjid (where the five times daily prayers are held) with the intention
of worship.

What Is The Purpose Of Itikaaf ?

Mankind has been created to worship Allah. Islam has designated
many forms of worship for the fulfilment of this aim. Itikaaf enjoys

Itikaaf 2 of 17
superiority over other methods of worship because it encompasses
many other forms of worship within itself.

Is Itikaaf Compulsory ?
There are three types of Itikaaf.

1. Itikaaf during the last ten days of Ramadhan. This is sunnah.

2. Itikaaf on any other day is nafl (voluntary).
3. Itikaaf as a result of a vow (e.g. someone vowed that if a certain
desire of his/her was fulfilled, he/she would perform Itikaaf for two
days.). The performance of this Itikaaf is waajib (necessary).

Benefits Of Itikaaf
A person doing Itikaaf (mutakif) will be able to perform his salat on
time with congregation hence acquiring the reward of salat with
congregation, which is twenty-seven times more than performing it
alone. On the other hand the layman outside will not attain this great
reward with such consistency because of distractions and
preoccupation especially in this modern age.

1. Itikaaf makes it easy to perform salat with full devotion because the
mutakif breaks all ties with the outside world and is in a state of
tranquillity, where he is free from everything that diverts him from
Allahs remembrance. This leaves him to focus his mind solely towards
Allahs obedience and happiness.

And seek help in patience and As-salat (the prayer) and truly, it is
extremely heavy and hard except for Al-Khaashi’un (i.e. the true
believers in Allah – those who obey Allah with full submission, fear
much from His punishment, and believe in His Promise and in His
Warning). (They are those) who are certain that they are going to meet
their Lord, and that unto Him they are going to return.
(Surah 2)

Successful indeed are the believers. Those who offer their salat
(prayers) with all solemnity and full submissiveness. And those who
turn away from Al-Laghw (dirty, false, evil vain talk, falsehood, and all
that Allah has forbidden).
(Surah 23)

Itikaaf 3 of 17
2. More voluntary prayers will be performed by a mutakif because his
aim is to worship his Lord and to build up a close tie with Him and the
best way of achieving this is by performing salat.

Abu Hurairah narrates that the Messenger of Allah said, "The

bondsman is closest to his Lord while he is in prostration, so increase
your supplications." (Muslim)

Ubaadah ibn Saamit narrates that he heard the Messenger of Allah

saying, "Whenever a bondsman prostrates before Allah, He has a good
deed written down for him and a sin wiped off and raises him a rank
higher, so prostrate as much as you can." (Ibn Maaja)

3. Another benefit of Itikaaf is that the mutakif can perform his prayer
in the first row. It is very easy for him to derive the full benefit of
offering prayer in this row.

Abu Hurairah narrates that the Messenger of Allah said, "Had the
people known the reward of azaan and the first row, they would most
certainly draw lots (to decide who should give the azaan and stand in
the first row). (Bukhari)

4. The mutakif gains the reward of waiting for salat. The Prophet
said, "You will be regarded as performing salat while you are waiting
for salat and the angels supplicate saying, O Allah forgive him and
have mercy on him as long as he does not leave his prayer place or
break wind."
(Bukhari)

5. One benefit of Itikaaf is that it makes a person accustomed to

staying in the masjid for a long period and creates an attachment
between him and the masajid.

The Prophet said, "From amongst the seven whom Allah will give
shade to on the day when there will be no shade except His shade, will
be that person whose heart was attached to the masjid." (Bukhari)

6. It becomes easy to perform the Tahajjud prayer. Normally, this is

very difficult for a person because Satan tries hard to stop a person
from offering this prayer and deprive him of its great reward.

Itikaaf 4 of 17
 Rules And Regulations Of Itikaaf
1. The performance of Itikaaf during the last ten days or Ramadhan is
a sunnah muakkadah alal kifaya (a sunnah which has to be observed
by at least one person from the locality for its fulfilment or else the
entire locality will be sinful for negligence of this sunnah).

2. Itikaaf should be done in a masjid where the five times daily prayers
are held.

3. A woman can designate a place for salat in her house and observe
Itikaaf there and she will acquire the same reward as one performing
Itikaaf in the masjid.

4. One should refrain from idle talk during Itikaaf.

5. One performing Itikaaf should not unnecessarily go outside the

boundaries of the masjid as this will nullify his Itikaaf.

6. One can go outside to answer the call of nature or for a necessary

bath (e.g. because of a wet dream etc). Similarly if there is no one to
bring food from home, one can go home to eat.

7. A person can go to perform Jumah prayer in another mosque if it is

not held in the mosque in which he is observing Itikaaf. He will have to
return as soon as he has completed his Jumah prayer.

8. If a person accidentally leaves the masjid in which he is observing

Itikaaf, this will nullify his Itikaaf.

9. To indulge in unnecessary worldly activities during Itikaaf is

makrooh-e-tahrimi (close to forbidden)

10. To remain completely silent during Itikaaf is not permissible. If one

remains silent after zikr and recitation, this is fine. Remaining silent is
not a form of worship.

11. The sunnah of observing Itikaaf during the last ten days of
Ramadhan will only be fulfilled, if the mutakif enters the masjid with
the intention of Itikaaf before the sun-set of the twentieth of
Ramadhan

Itikaaf 5 of 17
12. Fasting is a prerequisite of Itikaaf. The nullification of the fast will
result in the nullification of the Itikaaf.

13. The intention of Itikaaf can be made in the heart but it is better to
do it with the tongue.

Where And When Can Itikaaf Be Performed ?

Question 1

Can Itikaaf only be done during the last ten days of Ramadhan or can
it also be done during the first and middle ten days of Ramadhan?

Answer

The observance of Itikaaf is not restricted to the last ten days of

Ramadhan. A person wishing to perform Itikaaf during the entire
month of Ramadhan is at liberty to do so, as this is also a sunnah. To
clarify this matter, Imam Bukhari, entitled a chapter in his celebrated
book, Bhukhari .
The chapter on performing Itikaaf during the middle ten days of
Ramadhan. Under this chapter, he has narrated a hadith from Abu
Hurairah that the Prophet did Itikaaf for twenty days, in the year of
his demise. (Bukhari, Fathul Baari, Umdatul Qari).

Shaykhul Islam Hafiz ibn Hajar and Allaama Badrud-din-Ayni

(commentators of Bukhari) have remarked that Imam Bukhari wants to
point out that although observance of Itikaaf is much more preferable
during the last ten days of Ramadhan, yet it is not restricted to that
period. It can also be done during the middle ten days of Ramadhan,
as this has been established from the Prophet .

A hadith recorded by Bukhari and Muslim mentions that the Prophet

did Itikaaf during the entire month of Ramadhan.

The hadith is as follows:

Abu Saeed Khudri narrates that the Prophet (once) did Itikaaf during
the first ten days of Ramadhan, continuing it in the Turkish tent during

Itikaaf 6 of 17
the middle ten days. (One day) he stuck his head out (of the tent) and
said, "I did Itikaaf during the first ten days, searching for this night
(laylatul-qadr). I continued it (the Itikaaf) into the middle ten days (for
the same purpose). I was then approached (by an angel) and informed
that this night occurs in the last ten days. So those who have done
Itikaaf with me should continue it into the last ten days because I was
shown this night and then made to forget it (but as an indication) the
morning after this night, I saw myself prostrating on mud. This being
the case, search for this night during the odd nights of these last ten
days."

The narrator continues that it rained that night and the water leaked
through the mosque as it was made out of twigs. On the morning of
the 21st, I saw with my own eyes that there were traces of mud on the
Prophets forehead. (Mishkaat on the authority of Bukhari and
Muslim)

It is because of this tradition that the fuqahaa (Islamic jurist) have said
that this is the sunnah. This is precisely why many of the scholars and
saints have made it a habit to perform Itikaaf during the entire month
of Ramadhan. However it must be pointed out that the observance of
Itikaaf during the last ten days of Ramadhan is an emphasised sunnah
(a sunnah which must be observed by at least one member of the
locality or else the entire locality will be sinful). This is why special
importance is attached to its observance during the last ten days.

Itikaaf is not only restricted to Ramadhan but can in fact be performed

during the entire year. Imam Bukhari too has indicated towards this
permissibility, by entitling a chapter, The chapter on performing Itikaaf
during Shawwaal. (Fathul-Baari, p.284 vol,5. Umdatul-Qari, p.156
vol,11). We also learn from a tradition appearing in the Sihah
Sittahthat the Prophet performed Itikaaf of ten days in the month of
Shawwaal.

It is clear from this that Itikaaf is not fixed with any particular period of
the year.

Itikaaf 7 of 17
Question 2

Is Itikaaf correct in the mosques of Britain (places of worship, where

the five times daily prayers are held)?

Answer

Before answering this question, it would be of great benefit if we had

insight into some basic issues.

If a locality does not have a purpose built mosque but the residents of
that locality rent a place to perform prayers in congregation, it will be
correct for a person to observe Itikaaf in this particular place. All the
rules and conditions of a mosque will also apply to him. This issue has
been clarified further by the following query which appears in Fataawa
Alamghiri.

A woman can designate a spot in her house for doing Itikaaf instead of
going to the mosque. This particular place will be a substitute for the
mosque and in this spot she will be subject to all the rules and
conditions which would normally apply to her in the mosque. For
example the woman cannot leave this spot without a genuine cause
e.g. to relieve herself.

In short, in this country it is correct to perform Itikaaf in a place which

is treated like a mosque and where the five daily prayers are regularly
held. The practice of our elders and scholars bear testimony to this. In
fact if a person performs Itikaaf in such a place during the last ten days
of Ramadhan, this will suffice the people of that locality from the
Itikaaf which is sunnah muakkadah. On the other hand if no one
performs Itikaaf then the entire locality will be sinful. This is also the
view of the Grand Mufti of Gujraat. (Fataawa Rahimiyyah, p.209, vol,5)

Itikaaf 8 of 17
Things which are forbidden in Itikaaf

1. Going out of the mosque. Itikaaf becomes invalid if a person goes

out of the mosque for no reason, because the Messenger not go
out of the mosque except in the case of “human need” i.e., to eat
or answere the call of nature.Food used to be brought to him in
the mosque, because Saalim says: “As for his food and drink, it
was brought to him where he was in his place of Itikaaf.”

He also used to go out to purify himself from minor impurities and to do wudoo, as
Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to put his head into my room whilst he was in the
mosque, and I would comb his hair. He would not enter the house except in the case of
need when he was in Itikaaf.” (Fath al-Baari, 4/808).

Touching women with desire – including intercourse. This is something which

invalidates Itikaaf, because it is clearly stated that this is not permitted, in the aayah
(interpretation of the meaning): “And do not have sexual relations with them (your
wives) while you are in Itikaaf (i.e. confining oneself in a mosque for prayers and
invocations leaving the worldly activities) in the mosques” [al-Baqarah 2:187].

Menstruation and post-natal bleeding. If a woman who is in Itikaaf starts to menstruate or

experiences post-natal bleeding, she has to leave the mosque, so as to preserve the purity
of the mosque. The same applies to anyone who is in a state of junub (impurity following
sexual discharge) – until he does ghusl.

To complete iddah. If the husband of a woman who is in Itikaaf dies and she is in the
mosque, she has to leave the mosque so that she can do her iddah in her house.

Itikaaf 9 of 17
Educational aspects of Itikaaf

1. Implementing the concept of worship in a complete fashion:

Itikaaf plants in the soul of the person who does it the concept of
true enslavement to Allaah (uboodiyyah), and trains him in this
important matter for which man was created. For Allaah (may He
be exalted) says (interpretation of the meaning): “And I (Allaah)
created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship
Me (Alone).” [al-Dhaariyaat 51:56]. For the person who is in
Itikaaf has devoted his whole self and his whole time to worship
Allaah, may He be glorified.

2. His whole purpose is to earn the pleasure of Allaah, may He be

exalted, so he strives with his body, senses and time for this
purpose, by praying fard and naafil prayers, by making duaa and
dhikr, by reading the Quraan’ and other kinds of acts of worship.

Through this training during the best days of the month of

Ramadaan, the person in Itikaaf trains himself to apply the
concept of uboodiyyah or enslavement to Allaah in his public and
private life, and he strives to put into practice the words of the
aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “Say (O Muhammad):
“Verily, my Salaat (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying
are for Allaah, the Lord of the Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all
that exists). He has no partner. And of this I have been
commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims.” [al-Anaam 6:162-
163]

Itikaaf 10 of 17
 Al-Qurtubi said: “my living means, whatever I do in my life; my
dying means what I advise you to do after my death; for Allaah,
the Lord of the ‘Aalameen means, they are only for the purpose of
drawing closer to Him.” (7/69).

3. Seeking Laylat al-Qadr

This was the main purpose behind the Itikaaf of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). At first his Itikaaf
lasted for the entire month, then he did Itikaaf during the middle
ten days, seeking Laylat al-Qadr. When he learned that it is in the
last ten days of the month of Ramadaan, he limited his Itikaaf to
these blessed ten days.

4. Getting accustomed to staying in the mosque

The person in Itikaaf has committed himself to staying in the mosque

for a specific time period. Human nature may not readily accept such
restrictions at the beginning of the Itikaaf, but usually this attitude
quickly disappears because of the peace of mind that the Muslim soul
develops from staying in the House of Allaah.

The person in I’tikaaf understands the importance of his staying in the

mosque during his I’tikaaf from the following things:

1. The person who stays in the mosque finds that the mosque
becomes dear to him, and he understands the value of the houses
of Allaah, may He be exalted. This love has a great value with
Allaah, because those who love the houses of Allaah will be one of
the groups whom Allaah will shade on the Day when there will be
no shade except His shade.
2. When a person stays in the mosque, whilst he is waiting for the
prayer, he is rewarded as for praying, and the angels pray for

Itikaaf 11 of 17
 forgiveness for him. According to the hadeeth narrated by Abu
Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him), the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The
angels will pray for blessings for any one of you as long as he
stays in his place of prayer and as long as nothing happens to
break his wudoo. [They say:] ‘O Allaah, forgive him, O Allaah have
mercy on him.’ As long as any one of you stays in his place of
prayer, as long as what is keeping him there is the fact that he is
waiting for the prayer, and nothing is keeping him from going
back to his family apart from his prayer.” (al-Bukhaari, 2/360 Fath
al-Baari).

3. Keeping away from physical luxuries. In Itikaaf a person reduces a

lot of these things and becomes like a stranger in this world, so
“give good news to the stranger.” For the sake of earning the
pleasure of Allaah, he is content to stay in a corner of the mosque
with usually no more than a pillow on which to lay his head and a
blanket with which to cover himself, for he has left his
comfortable bed and his usual habits for the sake of earning
Allaahs pleasure.As for his food, this is a different story, if it is not
what he usually eats. If he has food brought from his house,
usually it will not be as much as he would eat at home, and he
does not eat it at a table with his wife and children, as he would
usually do. On the contrary, he eats like a stranger, like a poor
slave who is need of his Lord. If he goes out to the market-place
to get food, he tries hard to take what is available and he is not
too fussy about what kind of food he gets, because he has to go
back to his place of Itikaaf and not take too long to do these
things. Thus he learns that he can get by with a little, for which
his Lord will be pleased with him, just as he can live with much,
for which his Lord will not be pleased with him – and the different
between the two is immense.
4. Giving up many harmful habits

In the light of the fact that the concept of Islamic education is

lacking in many Muslim societies and in many homes in those
Muslim societies, many habits have become widespread which go
against the teachings of this pure religion. These evil habits have
become so widespread that they have become almost acceptable

Itikaaf 12 of 17
 and are not seen as having any harmful impact either on the religion
or the individual. These habits include smoking, listening to music
and watching scenes and events broadcast by satellite channels
which go against the aqeedah (belief) of the Muslim and his sense of
modesty and chastity, and other habits which affect the religion and
the individual.

The time of Itikaaf gives the individual the opportunity to see the
falsehood of these habits and the futility of the belief which many
Muslims have, that they do not have the ability to rid themselves of
these habits, because they have gained control over them.

During the period of Itikaaf, when he is alone with his Creator, the
Muslim comes to understand the concept of worship in the most
comprehensive sense and that he has to be enslaved to Allaah every
hour of the day, in both his public and his private life. When he takes
the pleasure and love of Allaah as the yardstick against which he
measures all his actions, he will find that the habits we have
referred to above, and many others, do not agree with that love of
Allaah, and indeed they are the opposite. So he discovers that habits
such as these take him out of the circle of sincere uboodiyyah
towards Allaah. If this is the case, then he is obliged to rid himself of
these habits as quickly as possible.

During the period of Itikaaf, the Muslim is not allowed to go out except
in the case of definite needs which serve to facilitate his staying in the
mosque for Itikaaf. Apart from that, he should not go out, even if it is
for a permissible purpose. So – for example – he cannot go out and
walk around in the market-place, even for a short time, to buy things
that have nothing to do with his Itikaaf. If he goes out to buy siwaak,
this will not affect his Itikaaf because it is something that is required
for his prayer during his I’ikaaf. But if he went out to buy a gift for his
wife or for one of his children, that would invalidate his Itikaaf, because
the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not go
out except in the case of “human need”, as mentioned above. So how
about if the person in Itikaaf goes out to do something haraam such as

Itikaaf 13 of 17
smoking cigarettes for example, or to watch a satellite TV show that he
usually watches? Undoubtedly this would invalidate his Itikaaf.

So if he goes out to drink wine or to smoke, this invalidates his

Itikaaf. In general, any going out for any invalid reason invalidates
one' I’tikaaf, and more so if the purpose of going out is to commit a
sin. Even when he goes out for a legitimate purpose, it is not
permissible for him to light a cigarette on the way.

Itikaaf is an annual opportunity in which a person can get rid of these

bad habits by repenting and turning to Allaah, and by weaning himself
from these sins during the period of Itikaaf, not giving in to his desires,
and getting used to this.

This continual worship of Allaah requires continual patience on the

part of the person in I’tikaaf, which is a kind of training for a persons
will and a kind of self-discipline for the soul which usually tries to
escape this worship to turn towards other matters which it desires.

There is also the kind of patience which is required for dealing with
the absence of things which a person may be used to, such as
different kinds of food that he eats at home but which are not
available in the mosque. So he puts up with having little for the sake
of earning the pleasure of Allaah, may He be exalted and glorified.

And there is the kind of patience which is required for putting up with
the place where he is sleeping, for he will not have a bed put in the
mosque for him, or a comfortable mattress on which he could sleep. He
sleeps on a very modest mattress or even on the carpets in the
mosque.

And there is the kind of patience which is required for putting up with
the conditions in the mosque, the crowds of people around him, the
lack of peace and quiet such as he enjoys at home when he wants to
sleep.

And there is the kind of patience which is required for suppressing his
desire for his wife, with whom he is not allowed to have sexual
relations if he goes home for any purpose; he cannot even kiss her or

Itikaaf 14 of 17
hug her, even though she is halaal for him. Thus the value of patience,
strong will power and self-control is manifested. Through these
practices and others, a person can train himself to delay many of the
things he desires for the sake of things which are more important, so
he puts off these psychological and material needs for the sake of
earning the pleasure of Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted.

(9) Peace of mind

(10) Reading the Qur’aan and completing it

(11) Sincere repentance

(12) Qiyaam al-Layl (praying at night) and getting used to it

(13) Making good use of ones time

(14) Purifying one's soul

(15) Reforming one’s heart and focusing on Allaah.

We ask Allaah to help us to remember Him, thank Him and worship Him properly. And
Allaah knows best. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.
References:
Al-I’tikaaf Nadrah Tarbawiyyah, Dr. ‘Abd al-Lateef ibn Muhammad Baaltoo
Al-Ithaaf fi Bayaan Masaa’il al-I’tikaaf, Abu ‘Umar Haay al-Haay

source : http://www.muslimconverts.com/ramadhaan/itikaaf.htm

Itikaaf 15 of 17
 This all work is done by the grace & help of
ALLAH (Subhanahu Wa Taa’aala)
Just for the sake of ALLAH (Subhanahu Wa Taa’aala)
Anyone is free to use, edit, and publish these slides anywhere in Islamic way.

Jazak ALLAH for your comments & prayers these are very precious.
Be blessed ever here & hereafter.

Special request: Please pray for my son Mohammed Baseer Ahsan Junaid,
Who passed away on 23rd Ramadan 1429 Hijrah (24th September 2008)
At the age of 22 Years, 3 Months and 7 Days

Ur brother in Islam
Mohammed Zaheer Ahsan Shakeel – Abu Dhabi, UAE
E-mail: [email protected]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/duroodosalam/

Itikaaf 16 of 17
 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/duroodosalam/

Itikaaf 17 of 17