2] About the hadeeth, “There is no i‘tikaaf except in the three mosques”

2]
Imam al-Albaani said in his essay Qiyaam Ramadan, in the section on i‘tikaaf: “Then I came across a clear saheeh hadeeth which singles outthese mosques: ‘There is no i‘tikaaf except in the three mosques.”’ And he pointed out that it is a hadeeth of Hudhayfah narrated by al-Tahhaawi, al-Bayhaqi and al-Isma‘eeli, and hence in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah. What is the ruling on this hadeeth? What could we learn from it concerning i‘tikaaf? i.e., do we understand that it is prohibited to observe i‘tikaaf anywhere but in the three mosques or do we learn from this hadeeth that perfect i‘tikaaf cannot be done except in the three mosques? In either case, what is the proof?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The Qur’aan and Sunnah, and scholarly consensus, indicate that it is mustahabb to observe i‘tikaaf in the mosques.
Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of themeaning):
“and We commanded Ibrâhim (Abraham) and Ismâ'il (Ishmael) that theyshould purify My House (the Ka'bah at Makkah) forthose who are circumambulating it, or staying (I'tikâf), or bowingor prostrating themselves (there, in prayer)”
[al-Baqarah 2:125].
“And do not have sexual relations with them (your wives) while you are in I'tikâf (i.e. confining oneself in a mosque for prayers and invocations leaving the worldly activities) in the mosques”
[al-Baqarah 2:187].
More than one of the scholars narrated that there was consensus on that. See: al-Ijmaa‘ by Ibn al-Mundhir, 47; al-Mughni,3/122
Although the scholars differed concerning the description of the mosquein which it is prescribed toobserve i‘tikaaf, there is hardly any difference of opinion among the fuqaha’ that it is permissible to observe i‘tikaaf in the mosque in which Jumu‘ah prayer andprayers in congregation are offered. There was no report of any difference ofopinion concerning that except from some of the Taabi‘een.
We have discussed this issue previously on our website in the answers to questions no. 49006 and 48985 .
Secondly:
With regard to the hadeeth mentioned in thequestion, “There is no i‘tikaaf except in the threemosques,” it is a hadeeth from the great Sahaabi Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman which was narrated from him via Sufyaan ibn ‘Uyaynah from Jaami‘ ibn Abi Raashid from Abu Waa’il: Hudhayfah said to ‘Abdullah, meaning ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him): Are you observing i‘tikaaf between your house and the house of Abu Moosa when you know that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “There is no i‘tikaaf exceptin al-Masjid al-Haraam or in the three mosques”? ‘Abdullah said: Perhaps you have forgotten and they remembered, or you made a mistake and they got it right.
But the companions of Sufyaan ibn ‘Uyaynah differed concerning it.
Some of them narrated it as being the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). They were:
Muhammad ibn al-Faraj, recorded by al-Ismaa‘eeli in Mu‘jam Shuyookhihi, 2/112; Mahmoud ibn Adam al-Marwazi, recorded by al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan, 4/316; Hishaam ibn ‘Ammaar, recorded by al-Tahhaawi in Bayaan Mushkil al-Athaar, 7/40; Sa‘eed ibn Mansoor, as recorded in al-Tahqeeq fi Ahaadeeth al-Khilaaf by Ibn al-Jawzi, 2/127.
Some of them narrated it as being the words of Hudhayfah, as if the isnaad ends with him (and not with the Prophet(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)). They were:
‘Abd al-Razzaaq in al-Musannaf, 4/348; Sa‘eed ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan and Muhammad ibn Abi ‘Umar,reported by al-Faakihi in Akhbaar Makkah, 2/149
The more correct view – and Allah knows best – is the mawqoof report which goes back to Hudhayfah, i.e., he said these words on the basis of his own opinion and ijtihaad, and he did not hear it from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). That is for the following reasons:
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This text is narrated as the words of Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) by another chain of narrators. It was narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah in al-Musannaf (2/337) and also by ‘Abd al-Razzaaq (4/347) via Sufyaan al-Thawri from Waasil al-Ahdab from Ibraahem al-Nakha‘i who said: Hudhayfah came to ‘Abdullah and said: Is it not amazing that your people are observing i‘tikaaf between your house and the house of al-Ash‘ari? – Meaning in the mosque. ‘Abdullah said: Perhaps they got it right and you got it wrong! Hudhayfah said: Do you not know that there is no i‘tikaaf except in three mosques: al-Masjid al-Haraam [in Makkah], al-Masjid al-Aqsa[in Jerusalem] and Masjid Rasool-Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) [in Madinah]? There is no difference between observing i‘tikaaf in it or in this market of yours..
The report of Ibraaheem al-Nakha‘i from ‘Abd-Allahibn Mas‘ood is acceptable to the scholars. See: Jaami‘al-Tahseel, 141; Sharh al-‘Ilal, 1/294 :->