The Fiqh of Fasting: 6.11 I’tikaf – Religious Retreat

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

6.11 I’tikaf – Religious Retreat

I’tikhaf in a Masjid [in which the five daily prayers are performed in congregation] is an act of worship, ‘ibadah. It consists of one’s secluding oneself within the Masjid with the intention of making i’tikhaf.

It is best to perform i’tikhaf in Jami’ Masjid. I’tikhaf becomes wajib when undertaken as a vow. [There are three kinds of i’tikhaf]:

1. wajib by vow
2. Sunnah mu’akkadah, in the last ten days of Ramadhan;
3. and mustahab, any other time of the year.

The shortest period for making i’tikhaf is one day, according to Imam Abu Hanifah; the greater part of the day, according to Imam Abu Yusuf; and any duration of time, according to Imam Muhammad. (The fatwa here is with Imam Muhammad.) I’tikhaf during the last ten days of Ramadhan is Sunnah mu’akkadah.

A condition of the wajib i’tikhaf is the concurrent observance of fasting. Similarly, according to one source, fasting is a condition for the proper performance of nafl i’tikhaf as well. (The most reliable Hanafi sources indicate that the Imam and his two companions did not consider fasting an essential condition to the proper performance of i’tikhaf.)

6.11.1 The I’tikaf of a woman

A woman who intends to make i’tikhaf should do so in that place in her home where she customarily makes her prayer.

6.11.2 Things permitted and forbidden during i’tikaf

The one performing i’tikhaf may not leave the Masjid except to answer the call of nature. One may also leave for purpose of purification, like wudu or ghusl. Furthermore, if there is a real need for it, one may leave the Masjid as the need arises. For instance, a person who lives alone will have to go out for one’s food if one has no one else to bring it to him. One may also leave to perform jumu’ah prayer, giving himself enough time to make the prescribed number of ra’kats´of Sunnah after jumu’ah, but not tarrying any longer than that. If one delays longer, his i’tikhaf will not be spoiled entirely [but it will surely decrease in merit].

If the person performing i’tikhaf leaves the Masjid [for any duration of time] without a valid excuse, one’s i’tikhaf will be spoiled.

One performing i’tikhaf is permitted to eat, drink, sleep and conduct business in the Masjid. He may not, however, have the goods to buy and sell anyone in the Masjid. These things [i.e. their taking place inside the Masjid] are permitted to no one other than the one in i’tikhaf.

It is haram for one in i’tikhaf to either have sexual intercourse or do anything which might lead to intercourse.

i’tikhaf is spoiled by kissing and caressing if they lead to an emission, otherwise [if there is no emission], i’tikhaf will not be spoiled.

In i’tikhaf it is makruh to observe complete silence. It even more makruh to engage in vain in vain or frivolous conversation. Instead, the ones in i’tikhaf should engage themselves in good discussin, learning anf teaching din, dhikr, tilawah of the Qur’an, reading books of Hadith, tafsir, sirah, or biographies of the righteous heroes of Islam.

If a person makes a vow to sit in i’tikhaf for a certain number of days, then one will have to stay in i’tikhaf during the nights of those days as well. Thus a vow for a stay of two days in i’tikhaf requires a stay of two nights also.

The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa'sallam said:
"The Muslim is a unique Ummah among the whole of mankind:
Their Land is ONE, their War is ONE, their Peace is ONE,
Their Honour is ONE and their Trust is ONE."
[Ahmad]