Some miscellaneous rulings about Itikaaf

To perform Itikaaf in the last 10 days of Ramadhan is Sunnah Moukkada Kifayah, i.e. even if one person performs it, then it is considered performed for all.  As given in Radd Ul Muhtaar, Vol. 2, Pg. No. 141/521.

 

The Sunnah Itikaaf starts from the sunset of 20th Ramadhan until the moon for Eid is sighted, as given in Durre Mukhtaar.

 

If you want to perform Itikaaf for less than 10 days, then it will be considered as Commendable (Mustahab) Itikaaf and not Sunnah.  If no one from the locality performs Itikaaf, then all will be considered guilty for missing the Sunnah and this will be considered very bad on the part of the denizens of the locality.  From one locality, at least one person should perform Itikaaf, so that it is performed and the excellence of Itikaaf is achieved for all.  It is given in the Hadith that the person who performs Itikaaf is given the reward for all good deeds.  There is a Hadith in Sunan Ibn Majah:

 

Translation: It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abdullah bin Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with them) that the person who performs Itikaaf stays away from sins and gets so much reward of good deeds as if he (or she) has performed all good deeds.  (Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith No. 1781)

 

Hadhrat Imam Ibn Shihab Zuhri (May Allah be well pleased with him), the great Successor says about those who don’t perform Itikaaf: I am surprised at people that people miss Itikaaf.  When the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would perform an act, sometimes He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would leave it as well, but from the time He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) came to Madina, He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) never abandoned Itikaaf.  (Bada’i Us Sana’i, Vol. 2, Pg. No. 273)

 

Where should one perform Itikaaf?

 

For Itikaaf, the gradations of mosques have been defined.  According to this, the best mosque to perform Itikaaf is Masjid Haraam, then Masjid Nabawi, then Masjid Aqsa.  After them, the Grand Masjid of the locality, then that mosque in which a lot of people gather for Salaat, as given in Fatawa A’alamgiri, Vol. 1, Pg. No. 21.

 

Can women also perform Itikaaf?

 

It is Makruh (undesirable) for a woman to perform Itikaaf in the mosque.  If she wants to perform Itikaaf, she can do so in that part of the house, where she offers her 5 daily Salaat.  If there is no such particular place, then she can take any place, clean it thoroughly and perform Itikaaf.  As given in Fatawa A’alamgiri, Vol. 1, Pg. No. 211.