Picture Perfect : I’tikaf during the last ten nights of Ramadan

I’tikaf is the seclusion and staying in the mosque with the intention of becoming closer to Allah. This was the practice of the Prophet, salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam, during the last ten days of Ramadan especially. He would do it during other months as well.

‘Aisha (RA) reported that: “Allah’s Apostle used to practice Itikaf in the last ten nights of Ramadan and used to say, “Look for the Night of Qadr in the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan,””  (Sahih Bukhari, Book #32, Hadith #237)

Abu Huraira (RA) reported that: “The Prophet used to perform Itikaf every year in the month of Ramadan for ten days, and when it was the year of his death, he stayed in Itikaf for twenty days.” (Sahih Bukhari, Book #33, Hadith #260)

Abu Salama reported that: “Once I went to Abu- Sa’id Al-Khudri and asked him, “Won’t you come with us to the date-palm trees to have a talk?” So Abu Said went out and I asked him, “Tell me what you heard from the Prophet about the Night of Qadr.” Abu Sa’id replied, “Once Allah’s Apostle performed I’tikaf (seclusion) on the first ten days of the month of Ramadan and we did the same with him. Jibreel (AS) came to him and said, ‘The night you are looking for is ahead of you.’ So the Prophet performed the I’tikaf in the middle (second) ten days of the month of Ramadan and we too performed I’tikaf with him. Jibreel (AS) came to him and said, ‘The night which you are looking for is ahead of you.’ In the morning of the 20th of Ramadan the Prophet delivered a sermon saying, ‘Whoever has performed I’tikaf with me should continue it. I have been shown the Night of “Qadr”, but have forgotten its date (or I was caused to forget it), but it is in the odd nights of the last ten nights. I saw in my dream that I was prostrating in mud and water.’ In those days the roof of the mosque was made of branches of date-palm trees. At that time the sky was clear and no cloud was visible, but suddenly a cloud came and it rained. The Prophet led us in the prayer and I saw the traces of mud on the forehead and on the nose of Allah’s Apostle. So it was the confirmation of that dream.”” (Sahih Bukhari, Book #12, Hadith #777)

This Sunnah of the Prophet, salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam, has been abandoned by many Muslims and it is worth reviving it in this era. The sunnah or preferred I’tikaf has no specific time limit. It can be fulfilled by staying in the mosque with the intention of making I’tikaf for a long or short time. The reward will be according to how long one stays in the mosque. If one leaves the mosque and then returns, he should renew his intention to perform I’tikaf.

It is preferred for the one who is making I’tikaf to perform many supererogatory acts of worship and to occupy himself with prayers, reciting the Quran, glorifying and praising Allah, extolling His oneness and His greatness, asking His forgiveness, sending salutations on the Prophet, upon whom be peace, and supplicating Allah – that is, all actions that bring one closer to Allah. Included among these actions is studying and reading books of tafsir and hadith, books on the lives of the Prophets, upon whom be peace, books of fiqh, and so on.