Benefits of Itikaaf

The Sahabah, The Tab’ieen and the earlier scholars preferred mingling with people.  The later elite prefer total seclusion.  Both have their own benefits and drawbacks.  However, Itikaaf is such a form of worship that it includes the benefits of both and steers clear of all their drawbacks.

 

1.  Those who prefer mingling with people have described one drawback of seclusion that through it the door of learning and education is closed.  This drawback is not there in Itikaaf as the person who performs Itikaaf is not stopped from learning.  Also, as Itikaaf is performed in Masjid, where the scholars keep coming, the person performing Itikaaf does not face any trouble.

 

2.  One more drawback of seclusion is that the person does not get the reward of Jamaat (congregation).  Itikaaf is free of this as a Masjid in which Jamaat happens regularly is the condition for Itikaaf.  No one else can get the reward for Jamaat more than the person who is performing Itikaaf as he joins every Salaat from the Takbeer Tahrima (the first Takbeer of the Salaat) itself.  The Mutakif (the person performing Itikaaf) is always waiting for the next Salaat and the reward for waiting for the next Salaat is equal to the reward of the Jamaat itself.

 

3.  Another drawback is that the person who practices total seclusion remains bereft of the blessed company of the saints and the elders.  Itikaaf is free of this also as this person meets those who come to Masjid for Salaat 5 times in a day and some of them are saints (Auliya).

 

4.  Another drawback of total seclusion is that the person sees only his deeds, which raises the fear of pride and vanity and in mingling with people, we get to see the deeds of those who are better than us, which creates humility.  Itikaaf is free on this also as in the Masjid many people come and some of them are those who perform a lot of worship.  When the Mutakif sees their deeds, pride, etc. cannot develop in him.

 

5.  Another drawback of total seclusion is that this makes a person popular.  Itikaaf is free of this also, as the Mutakif is not sitting in a cave in a mountain that he should become popular, but he is sitting in the locality where others meet him and customarily this is not called total seclusion also.  Thus, the Mutakif also does not become popular.  Every year, dozens of people perform Itikaaf. But none of them become famous as saints.

 

6.  One drawback of mingling with people is that sometimes we are in the company of bad people and their company affects our Deen.  The Mutakif is safe from this also as in the Masjid only pious people come and if some of them are sinful, then at the time of Salaat, they become pious.  Their company is also not harmful.  This company is not for long, as these kind of people don’t stay in the Masjid for long.

 

7.  One drawback of mingling with people is that time is wasted and much time is wasted in talking.  The Mutakif is safe from this also as those who talk, don’t come to him at all.  In the Masjid who stays after Salaat that they should talk for long with the Mutakif.    Friends, etc. also come to the house, nobody comes to the Masjid.  The Mutakif does not get the chance to talk at all.  In this way, the Mutakif is safe from the harmful effects of talking too much and gets a lot of time for Dhikr, meditations and recitation of the Holy Quran. 

 

8.  Another drawback of mingling with people is that the sight cannot be guarded.  The Mutakif is safe from this also, as no non-Mahram woman comes to the Mutakif.

 

In short, Itikaaf is such a wonderful form of worship that it has the advantages of both total seclusion and of meeting with people and is free of the drawbacks of both.

 

From Fadhaail-e-Ramadhan of Hadhrat Muhaddith-e-Deccan (May Allah shower His mercy on him)