Why have the Muslims forsaken i'tikaaf, even though it is the Sunnah
ofthe Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? What is the
purpose of i'tikaaf?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
I'tikaaf is one of the confirmed Sunnahs which the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) did regularly.
See the evidence for its being prescribed in the answer to question no. 48999 .
This Sunnah has disappeared from the lives of the Muslims apart from
those on whom Allaah has mercy. It is like many Sunnahs which the
Muslims have virtually forsaken.
There are several reasons for this, including the following:
1- Weakness of faith in many hearts
2- Increased focus on worldly pleasures and desires, which leads
to an inability to keep away from them even for a short time.
3- Lack on interest in Paradise on the part of many, and their
inclination towards leisure and relaxation, so that they do not want
to put up with the hardship of i'tikaaf even for the sake of earning
Allaah's pleasure.
Whoever understands thesignificance of Paradise and the greatness of
its delights will sacrifice his life and that which is most precious
to him in order to attain it. The Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "The reward of Allaah is precious, the
reward of Allaah is Paradise." Narrated by al-Tirmidhi and classed as
saheeh by al-Albaani, 2450.
4- Many people pay lip-service to the love of the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him), without actingupon it and
implementingvarious aspects of the Sunnah, including i'tikaaf. Allaah
says (interpretationof the meaning):
"Indeed in the Messenger of Allaah (Muhammad) you have a good
exampleto follow for him who hopes for (the Meeting with) Allaah and
the Last Day, and remembers Allaah much"
[al-Ahzaab 33:21]
Ibn Katheer said (3/756):
This verse represents a major principle: that we should follow the
example of the Messengerof Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) in word and deed in all situations.
Some of the salaf (early generations of Islam) found it odd that
people did not observe i'tikaaf even the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) persisted in doing so. Ibn Shihaab al-Zuhri
said: It is strange that the Muslims have given up i'tikaaf when
theProphet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not give it
up from the time he entered Madeenah until Allaah took him (in death).
Secondly:
The i'tikaaf which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) always observed at the end of hislife is i'tikaaf during the last
ten days of Ramadaan. These few days may indeed be regarded as an
intensive course of spiritual education which brings immediate
positive results in a person's life during the days and nights of
Ramadaan and in the coming days, until the next Ramadaan comes.
How great is the Muslims' need to revive this Sunnah and establish it
in the proper manner, as theMessenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) and his companions used to observe it.
How great will be the success of those who adhere to the Sunnah after
the ummah has neglected it and become corrupt.
Thirdly:
The basic goal of the Prophet's i'tikaaf was to seek Laylat al-Qadr.
Muslim (1167) narrated that Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be
pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) observed i'tikaaf during the first ten days of
Ramadaan, then he observed i'tikaaf during the middle ten days in a
small tent at the door of which was a reed mat. He took the mat in his
hand and lifted it. Then he put his head out and spoke tothe people,
and they came close to him. He said: "I observed i'tikaaf during the
first ten days seeking this night, then I observed i'tikaaf during the
middle ten days. Thensomeone came and said to me that it is in the
last ten days, so whoever among you wishes to observe i'tikaaf let him
doso." So the people observed i'tikaaf with him.
This hadeeth teaches us a number of things:
1- That the basic goal of the i'tikaaf of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) was to seek Laylat al-Qadr and to
prepare to spend that night in worship. That is because of the great
virtue of that night of which Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): "The Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand
months (i.e. worshipping Allaah in that night is better than
worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months)"
[al-Qadr 97:3].
2- The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) strove
to seek that night before he was told when it is. So he started with
the first ten days, then he observed it during the middle ten, then he
continued to observe i'tikaaf during thelast ten days,
:->
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