by Asma bint Shameem
ANSWER
I’tekaaf is isolating oneself to worship Allaah in seclusion and it is only valid in the masjid.
And that goes for both men and women.
🍃 Proof:
Allaah says
“And do not approach your wives while you are in I‘tekaaf in the masaajid.”
(Surah al-Baqarah:187)
Here Allaah is specifically telling us that I'tekaaf is done only in the masjid.
Also we know that our Mothers, the wives of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam used to observe Itekaaf in the masjid ONLY.
Aaishah radhi Allaahu anhaa said that the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam used to spend the last ten nights of Ramadhaan in i'tekaaf until he passed away, then his wives observed i'tekaaf after he died.”
(al-Bukhaari 2026 and Muslim 1172)
According to a hadeeth in saheeh al-Bukhaari, and Muslim, when the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam was observing Itekaaf, his wives wanted to do it too.
But then, the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam saw that his wives had set up multiple tents in the masjid and he did not like that.
So he sent them back home and they did not continue their Itekaaf.
🍃Aaishah Radhi Allaahu anhaa said:
"The Prophet used to practice I’tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadhaan and I used to pitch a tent for him, and after offering the morning prayer, he used to enter the tent." Hafsa asked the permission of 'Aisha to pitch a tent for her and she allowed her and she pitched her tent.
When Zainab bint Jahsh saw it, she pitched another tent.
In the morning the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam noticed the tents.
He said, 'What is this?" He was told of the whole situation. Then the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam said,
"Do you think that they intended to do righteousness by doing this?"
He therefore abandoned the I’tikaf in that month and practiced I’tikaf for ten days in the month of Shawwal." (al-Bukhaari
Volume 3, Book 33, No 249)
This hadeeth shows that Itekaaf is only valid in a MASJID.
If it was allowed for women to observe itekaaf at home, then why would the wives of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam put up tents in the masjid?
And why did they stop observing I'tekaaf once he sent them back home?
If I’tekaaf was valid at home, the wives of the Prophet ﷺ would have continued to observe i’tekaaf there.
But they didn’t.
And later when the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam passed away, our Mothers continued to observe I'tekaaf in the masjid; and NOT at home.
The houses of the wives of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam were right there, next to the masjid.
If it was allowed to observe I'tekaaf at home, what better and safer and more secluded place than the home itself?
Observing I'tekaaf at home would be more appropriate, considering the importance of modesty and hijaab for women, especially the wives of the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam.
YET, in spite of that, we see that they didn’t observe I'tekaaf at their homes.
Rather they would move to the masjid in a secluded area and observe I’tekaaf.
🍃Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said:
“If a woman wants to observe i’tikaaf, she should observe i’tikaaf in the masjid so long as that does not involve anything that is forbidden according to sharee’ah. If that does involve anything that is forbidden then she should not do i’tikaaf.” (Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (20/264)
🔺What about women who’ve been observing I’tekaaf at home all these years?
If a woman has been observing I'tekaaf at home, her seclusion in her room making Duaa, praying, reading Qur’aan etc is still worship.
And is a wonderful means to achieve nearness to Allaah.
But just keep in mind that it won’t count as that ‘proper’ ‘Itekaaf’ that’s proven from the Sunnah.
That will only be valid if she does it in the masjid.
However, Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala will not let her ibaadah go to waste and will still reward her if she was sincere.
He is al-Ghafoor, ar-Raheem and ash-Shakoor.
He rewards us out of His Generosity and accepts from us out of His Mercy.
And since this ‘seclusion’ for worship is not the REAL ‘I'tekaaf’, the rulings of I'tekaaf will also not apply.
So she can come out of her “room”, move about, do her chores, cook, clean, and do all other ‘normal’ life activities that a person in ‘true’ I'tekaaf would not do.
🍃The scholars said:
“Moreover if it were permissible (to observe i’tikaaf at home), the Prophet’s wives (may Allaah be pleased with them) would have done that at least once to show that it is permissible.” (al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (5/212)
🔺So what is a VALID I'tekaaf for women?
If a woman wants to observe Itekaaf, she has to do the following:
1. Make sure it’s done in the masjid
2. Ask permission from her Wali, or guardian such as father, husband etc.
3. The masjid should have a proper place for women that’s separate from the men which is safe, and is able to accommodate women staying overnight.
And Allaah knows best
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