Section
Ten - The rulings pertaining to
i'tikaaf
The
conditions of i'tikaaf
Ruling
of i'tikaaf
When
a person in i'tikaaf leaves his i'tikaaf
The
conditions of i'tikaaf
Question:
What are the conditions of i'tikaaf, and
is fasting one of them? Is it permissible
for the person in i'tikaaf to visit a
sick person, answer an invitation, fulfil
some of his family's needs, or go to work?
Response:
I'tikaaf is prescribed in a masjid in
which the congregational prayer is established.
If the person in i'tikaaf is from those
upon whom Friday prayers are obligatory
and the length of his i'tikaaf includes
a Friday, then it is better to be in a
masjid in which Friday prayers are established.
Fasting is not (a) necessary (part of
it). The sunnah is that he does not visit
the sick during his i'tikaaf and that
he does not answer the invitation, nor
fulfil the needs of his family. He should
not witness the funeral (by following
it) and he should not go to work outside
the masjid. This is due to what has been
authenticated on the authority of 'Aa.ishah
(radhi-yallaahu `anhaa) that she said:
((the sunnah for he who is in i'tikaaf
is that he does not visit the sick nor
witness a funeral, nor touch a woman (his
wife), nor have intercourse with her nor
leave to fulfil a need except that which
is necessary)). And with Allaah lies success.
May the peace and blessings be upon our
Prophet Muhammad his family and companions.
The
Permanent Committee for Islaamic Research
and Fataawa, comprising - Head: Shaykh
'Abdul 'Azeez ibn Abdullaah ibn Baaz;
Deputy Head: Shaykh 'Abdur-Razzaaq 'Afeefee;
Member: Shaykh 'Abdullaah ibn Qu'ood.
(Fataawa Ramadan, Volume 2/Page 862/Fatwa
No.848), also (Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa.imah
lil-Buhooth al-'Ilmiyyah wal-Iftaa., Fatwa
No.6718)
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Ruling
of i'tikaaf
Question:
What is the ruling of i'tikaaf, and is
it permissible to do it in other than
the masaajid (plural of masjid)?
Response:
I'tikaaf is sunnah (recommended but not
obligatory), and is not correct except
in the masaajid. Firstly: Because Allaah
the Majestic the High said: {...while
you are in i'tikaaf in the masaajid} [Soorah
al-Baqarah, Aayah 187]. He also said {...that
they should purify My House for those
who circumambulate it and make i'tikaaf
in it} [Soorah al-Baqarah, Aayah 125].
The "House" is the Masjid al-Haraam (in
Makkah). Secondly: If he were to make
i'tikaaf in other than the masaajid, it
would lead him to missing prayers with
the congregation of Muslims in the masaajid
and leaving it is a great sin. Or it would
lead him to frequently go to the prayer,
and his frequent leaving, going and coming
contradicts the i'tikaaf, because the
i'tikaaf is that the one doing it attaches
himself (to the place of his i'tikaaf).
Shaykh
Ibn Jibreen / (Fataawa Ramadan, Volume
2/Page 869/Fatwa No.855), also (Fataawa
as-Siyaam libni Jibreen, Page 111)
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When
a person in i'tikaaf leaves his i'tikaaf
Question:
When does a person leave i'tikaaf, is
it after sunset on the night prior to
`Eed or after Fajr on the day of `Eed?
Response:
The person in i'tikaaf leaves i'tikaaf
once Ramadan finishes and it finishes
as the sun sets the night prior to `Eed.
He enters i'tikaaf at sunset (prior) to
the 20th day of Ramadan. This is so as
the last ten (nights) of Ramadan start
from sunset of the night (prior) to the
20th day of Ramadan and ends at sunset
of the night (prior) to `Eed.
Shaykh
Ibn al-'Uthaymeen / (Fataawa Ramadan,
Volume 2/Page 872/Fatwa No.859), also
(Fataawa ash-Shaykh Muhammad as-Saalih
al-'Uthaymeen Volume1/Page 551)
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