The place of I‘tikaaf

01/09/2010| IslamWeb

We have previously mentioned that staying in the mosque is a condition for the validity of I‘tikaaf (seclusion in the mosque) that cannot be valid elsewhere. Rather, there is consensus on that as mentioned by Al-Qurtubi and by Ibn Qudaamah .  in Al-Mughni. Ibn Rushd said that scholars agreed that staying in the mosque is a condition for the validity of I‘tikaaf except Muhammad ibn ‘Umar ibn Lubaabah who said it is permissible everywhere. However, this is a weak opinion. It is a condition for the man who wants to make I‘tikaaf to make it in a mosque where the congregational prayer Is prayed (especially the Friday prayer) is established so as not to miss it, unless he is one of those men who have a Sharee‘ah-approved excuse. In this case, it is permissible for him to make I‘tikaaf in any mosque even if no congregational prayer is established there. Similarly, the I‘tikaaf of the woman must be in the mosque, however, that could be a mosque where no congregational prayer is established.

 

Is it Permissible for the Woman to Make I‘tikaaf in the Place in Her Home Where She Prays?

 

The sounder opinion, which is that maintained by the majority of scholars, is that it is impermissible for the woman to make I‘tikaaf in her place of prayer in her home. If she can make I‘tikaaf in the mosque on condition on being safe from temptation, it will be permissible for her to make I‘tikaaf. Otherwise, the matter is not obligatory for her and she should not make I‘tikaaf in her home. This is the preponderant opinion.

 

When the wives of the Prophet, , asked for his permission to make I‘tikaaf, he permitted them to. Had it been permissible for them to make I‘tikaaf at home, surely he would have informed them of that just as he had informed them that the prayer of the woman in her home is better for her. So, the fact that the Prophet, , did not tell his wives that their I‘tikaaf at home is permissible and that he permitted them to make it in the mosque proves that the home is not a place for I‘tikaaf. This is an important issue because some women, as I hear, make I‘tikaaf in the place for prayer at their homes. We say again that this is not correct and the opinion that supports it is weak.

 

The Mosques Where I‘tikaaf is Valid

 

It is permissible to make I‘tikaaf in the area of the mosque where people pray, on the roof of the mosque, in the area of the mosque, in its minarets, in the mosque-affiliated rooms which are considered to be inside the courtyard of the mosque, its library, its warehouse or anywhere else within the boundary of the mosque and is affiliated with it and not separated from it. I‘tikaaf is valid in all such places, however, the best place is undoubtedly inside the mosque, unless there is something that prevents that or unless one is unable to practice I‘tikaaf properly therein. In brief, the best place where one can make I‘tikaaf and avoid the scholars’ difference of opinions on this is inside the mosque itself. Other places are permissible, although scholars differ over some of these places.

 

The Best Mosques For making I‘tikaaf

 

The best mosques for making I‘tikaaf are: Al-Masjid Al-Haraam (the Grand Mosque in Makkah), Al-Masjid An-Nabawi (the Prophetic Mosque in Madeenah) and Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa (The Holy Mosque in Jerusalem) respectively. May Allah free Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa from the Jews and enable us to pray therein after its being purified from their evil.

 

These are the best mosques and they are arranged in that same order as mentioned in the authentic Hadeeths. After these three mosques comes the following: a mosque where the Friday Prayer is established, a mosque where only the five obligatory prayers are established, but not the Friday Prayer, and where more people pray, and finally, as stated by scholars, a mosque that does not require one to go out a lot or for a long time. In other words, if there is a mosque beside ones’ house and the people who pray there are a few, and on the other hand, there is another mosque that is far from his house but the people who pray there are many, which of them is preferable? Scholars have said that the best mosque after the three ones mentioned previously and after the mosque where the Friday Prayer is established is the one that does not require one to go out a lot or for a long time. Hence, it is better for one to make I‘tikaaf in the mosque near his house, even if only a few people pray therein, if one needs to go out for eating, drinking or making ablution, as will be mentioned later. This is because he will not need to go out frequently or for long times because his family would be serving him.

 

However, if one does not need to go out to fulfill his needs, then it will be better for him to make I‘tikaaf in the mosque where more people pray, and the best of these is a mosque where the Friday Prayer is established.