Itikaaf - An introduction

To stay in the Masjid with the intention of worship is called Itikaaf (seclusion).

 

The Hadith mention great reward for Itikaaf.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) has said that the person who performs Itikaaf is saved from sins and gets the reward for other good deeds as if he has performed all of them, as mentioned in Sunan Ibn Majah and Zujajatul Masabeeh, narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with them).

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) also said:  Whoever perform Itikaaf for 10 days in Ramadhan will be given the reward of 2 Haj and 2 Umrah.

 

Types of Itikaaf

 

There are 3 types of Itikaaf:

 

Wajib.

 

Sunnah Moukkada (Compulsory Sunnah)

 

Mustahab.

 

Wajib Itikaaf is the Itikaaf for which an oath has been taken (Nazar in Urdu) regardless of whether that oath is dependent on a condition or not.

 

Sunnah Itikaaf is the Itikaaf of the last 10 days of Ramadhan.

 

Other Itikaaf apart from these two are Mustahab (commendable).

 

For Wajib Itikaaf and Sunnah Moukkada Itikaaf, fasting is also a condition.  For Mustahab, it is not.

 

Minimum limit for Itikaaf

 

For Wajib Itikaaf, the minimum time period is 1 day.  For Sunnah Itikaaf, it is 10 days and for Mustahab, there is no limit.

 

Conditions for Itikaaf

 

To be a Muslim.

 

To be sane.

 

To be free of periods and postpartum bleeding (for women).

 

To perform Itikaaf in the Masjid.  Women can perform Itikaaf in the house in the area which is specified for offering Salaat.

 

To perform the Niyyah for Itikaaf.