Page 88 - Demo

What are the pillars and conditions of doing an i%u2019tikaf?The intention of physically secluding oneself in the masjid, for the entire 10 nights, while observing the restrictions and conditions of i%u2019tikaf and with the intention not to leave except for an emergency.The place of seclusion has to be in a place that is defined to be a masjid.I%u2019tikaf is only for a rational and discerning Muslim. The person is in a state of purity from janabah (impurity), menstruation and postpartum bleeding, because those people would be prevented from staying in the masjid.Permission is needed from the husband for a woman to be in i%u2019tikaf, as it was reported that A%u2019isha and Hafsa requested permission from the Prophet (pbuh) to perform i%u2019tikaf, and the Prophet (pbuh) permitted them.One cannot leave the place of i%u2019tikaf until the time period is finished or else it will not count as a full i%u2019tikaf.No sexual intercourse is permissible between the spouses during the i%u2019tikaf. There is a consensus among the scholars that the only place an i'tikaf can be done by a male is at a masjid.There is a minority opinion that females are allowed to do i'tikaf in a dedicated area in the home. The majority opinion says no, females can only do it at a masjid.Must a person complete the full ten nights of i%u2019tikaf to get the reward?If a person does not complete the full ten nights, they would not have followed the complete sunnah of our Prophet (pbuh) when observing i%u2019tikaf. However, they would still get a reward for any portion that they did complete.What is the minimum time a person can spend in seclusion for it to be considered an i%u2019tikaf?Some scholars say that the minimum is one full night, from maghrib time to fajr of the next morningSome scholars say that even a portion of one single night is accepted as an i%u2019tikaf. As long as there was the intention that the hours spent at the masjid was for i%u2019tikaf.Copyright %u00a9 2023 Islamic Association of Raleigh. All rights reserved. 88