Educational aspects ofI’tikaaf

Implementing theconcept of worship in a complete fashion:

I’tikaafplants in the soul of the person who does it the concept of trueenslavement to Allah (‘uboodiyyah), and trains him in this importantmatter for which man was created. For Allah (may He be exalted) says(interpretation of the meaning): “And I (Allah) created not the jinnand mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone).” [al-Dhaariyaat51:56]. For the person who is in I’tikaaf has devoted his whole selfand his whole time to worship Allah, may He be glorified.

Hiswhole purpose is to earn the pleasure of Allah, may He be exalted, sohe strives with his body, senses and time for this purpose, by prayingfard and naafil prayers, by making du’aa’ and dhikr, by reading theQur’an, and other kinds of acts of worship.

Throughthis training during the best days of the month of Ramadhan, the personin I’tikaaf trains himself to apply the concept of ‘uboodiyyah orenslavement to Allah in his public and private life, and he strives toput into practice the words of the aayah (interpretation of themeaning): “Say (O Muhammad): “Verily, my Salaat (prayer), my sacrifice,my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the ‘Aalameen(mankind, jinn and all that exists). He has no partner. And of this Ihave been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims.” [al-An’aam6:162-163]

Al-Qurtubisaid: “my living means, whatever I do in my life; my dying means what Iadvise you to do after my death; for Allah, the Lord of the ‘Aalameenmeans, they are only for the purpose of drawing closer to Him.” (7/69).