The conditions ofI’tikaaf

 

Certain conditionsapply to I’tikaaf, as follows:

 

Islam; I’tikaaf on thepart of a kaafir is not valid, as is also the case with an apostate whohas left the religion.

 

Discernment; it is notvalid on the part of a child who has not yet reached the age ofdiscernment.

 

Purity(tahaarah) from major forms of impurity (janaabah – sexual impurity,Hayd – menstruation; Nifaas – post-partum bleeding). If any of thesethings happen to a person during his I’tikaaf, he has to leave themosque, because it is not permissible for him to stay in the mosque inthis state.

 

It should be in themosque. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

 

“Anddo not have sexual relations with them (your wives) while you are inI‘tikaaf (i.e. confining oneself in a mosque for prayers andinvocations leaving the worldly activities) in the mosques” [al-Baqarah2:187].

 

Itis preferable for I’tikaaf to be in a mosque where Jumu’ah (Friday)prayers are held, so that one will not have to go out of the mosque inorder to attend Jumu’ah prayers.

 

Somescholars said that there should not be any I’tikaaf except in the threemosques: al-Masjid al-Haraam [in Makkah], al-Masjid al-Aqsaa [inal-Quds/Jerusalem] and al-Masjid al-Nabawi [in Madeenah]. The correctview is that I’tikaaf is permissible in any mosque in which the fiveobligatory prayers are prayed. Allah says (interpretation of themeaning):

 

“Anddo not have sexual relations with them (your wives) while you are inI‘tikaaf (i.e. confining oneself in a mosque for prayers andinvocations leaving the worldly activities) in the mosques” [al-Baqarah2:187].

 

Thegeneral meaning of the phrase in the mosques implies that it ispermissible in every mosque. It is mustahabb to do I’tikaaf in a Jaami’mosque (one in which Jumu’ah prayers are offered) so that the one whois doing I’tikaaf will not need to go out for Jumu’ah.

 

Withregard to the hadeeth, “There is no I’tikaaf except in the threemosques” (narrated by al-Tahhaawi in Mushkil al-Athaar, 4/20), if weaccept it as saheeh, it should be interpreted as meaning that the bestI’tikaaf is in these mosques, as the scholars said.

 

Itmay be that what was meant by the words, “There is no I’tikaaf exceptin the three mosques”, is that there should be no I’tikaaf for whichone makes a vow or for the purpose of which one travels. I’tikaaf isvalid in all mosques. The Imams – especially the four Imams – agreedthat I’tikaaf is valid in all Jaami’ mosques. Nothing was transmittedto the effect that I’tikaaf is not valid unless it is in one of thethree mosques, from any well known, Imam, not the four Imams nor theten Imams, or any others. This was reported only from Hudhayfah (mayAllah be pleased with him) and one or two of the Salaf.

 

Ifa person vows to do I’tikaaf in al-Masjid al-Haraam, he has to fulfilhis vow and do I’tikaaf in al-Masjid al-Haraam. But if he vows, forexample, to do I’tikaaf in al-Masjid al-Nabawi, then it is permissiblefor him to do I’tikaaf in al-Masjid al-Nabawi or in al-Masjidal-Haraam, because al-Masjid al-Haraam is better.

Ifhe vowed to do I’tikaaf in al-Masjid al-Aqsaa, it is permissible forhim to do I’tikaaf in al-Masjid al-Aqsaa or in al-Masjid al-Haraam orin al-Masjid al-Nabawi, because they are better than al-Masjid al-Aqsaa.