His guidance concerningI’tikaaf

 

The guidance of theProphet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him,is the most perfect and straightforward of guidance and teaching. Whenhe wanted to do I’tikaaf, he would have a bed or mattress put in themosque for him, behind the Column of Repentance, as reported in thehadeeth from Naafi’ from Ibn ‘Umar from the Prophet, Peace andBlessings of Allah be upon him, : “When he, Peace and Blessingsof Allah be upon him,  wantedto do I’tikaaf, he would have his mattress or his bed placed behind theColumn of Repentance.” (Narrated by Ibn Maajah, 1/564).

 

The Prophet, Peaceand Blessings of Allah be upon him,used to have a tent put up for him, and he would stay in it, apart fromthe times of prayer, so that he could be truly secluded. This was inthe mosque and it is probable that the tent would be placed over hisbed or mattress, as reported in the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah bepleased with her), who said: “The Prophet, Peace and Blessings ofAllah be upon him,used to do I’tikaaf in the last ten days of Ramadhan, and I used to putup a tent for him. He would pray Fajr, then go into the tent…”(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4/810, Fath al-Baari).

 

Heused to stay in the mosque all the time and not go out except in thecase of “human need&##8221;, i.e. to pass urine or stools. ‘Aa’ishah (mayAllah be pleased with her) said: “… he would not enter the house unlesshe needed to, when he was in I’tikaaf.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4/808Fath al-Baari).

 

The Prophet, Peaceand Blessings of Allah be upon him,used to have his food and drink brought to him when he was in I’tikaaf,as Saalim narrated: “His food and drink were brought to him in theplace where he was doing I’tikaaf.” (p.75).

 

He, Peace andBlessings of Allah be upon him,used to keep clean, as he used to put his head out into ‘Aa’ishah’sroom for her to comb his hair. According to a hadeeth narrated from‘Urwah from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), she used to combthe hair of the Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him,when he was in I’tikaaf and she was menstruating, and he was inI’tikaaf in the mosque, and she was in her room; he would lean his headtowards her. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4/807 Fath al-Baari).

 

Ibn Hajar said:

 

“Thehadeeth indicates that it is permissible to keep clean, apply perfume,wash, shave and adorn oneself, by analogy with combing. The majorityagree that there is nothing makrooh in I’tikaaf except that which isviewed as being makrooh in the mosque.” (4/807 Fath al-Baari).

 

The Prophet, Peaceand Blessings of Allah be upon him,  didnot visit the sick or attend funerals when he was in I’tikaaf, so thathe could focus and devote all his attention to worshipping Allah.According to a hadeeth narrated from ‘Aa’ishah: “The Prophet, Peaceand Blessings of Allah be upon him,would pass by a sick person when he was in I’tikaaf, and he would notstop to ask him how he was.” It was also reported from ‘Urwah that shesaid: “The Sunnah for the person who is in I’tikaaf is that he shouldnot visit the sick or attend funerals, or touch his wife or haveintercourse with her, or go out for any but the most pressing of needs.There is no I’tikaaf except with fasting, and there is no I’tikaafexcept in a Jaami’ Masjid.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, 2/333).

 

The wives of theProphet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him,used to visit him in the place where he was doing I’tikaaf. It sohappened that he came out to take one of them home, and this was for areason, as it was night time. This was reported in the hadeeth of ‘Aliibn al-Husayn: “Safiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) came to theProphet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, when he wasin I’tikaaf, and when she went back he walked with her. A man fromamong the Ansaar saw him, and when he [the Prophet, Peace andBlessings of Allah be upon him]saw him, he called him and said, ‘Come here, this is Safiyyah.’”Sufyaan [one of the narrators] may have said: “This is Safiyyah; forthe Shaytaan runs through the veins of the son of Adam like blood.’” I[one of the narrators] said to Sufyaan, ‘Did she come to him at night?’He said, ‘Could she have come at any time other than at night?’(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4/819).

 

The Prophet, Peaceand Blessings of Allah be upon him,thought that it was essential for him to go out with her (may Allah bepleased with her) because it was night, so he went out with her fromthe place where he was doing I’tikaaf, in order to take her home.

 

In conclusiontherefore: the example of the Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allahbe upon him,was characterized by striving, and he spent most of the time in themosque, devoting himself to worshipping Allah and seeking Laylatal-Qadr.