Itikaaf For Sisters

[Trn2allah]

:sl:
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/37698/i%27tikaf
Can women sit for I'tikaf in a mosque in the last ten days of Ramadan?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Yes, it is permissible for a woman to observe i’tikaaf in the mosque during the last ten days of Ramadaan.

Indeed, i'tikaaf is Sunnah for both men and women, and the Mothers of the Believers (may Allaah be pleased with them [i.e., the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] used to observe i’tikaaf with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) during his lifetime, and after he passed away.

Al-Bukhaari (2026) and Muslim (1172) narrated from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to spend the last ten nights of Ramadaan in i'tikaaf until he passed away, then his wives observed i'tikaaf after he died.

It says in ‘Awn al-Ma’bood:

This indicates that women are the same as men when it comes to i'tikaaf.

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

I’tikaaf is Sunnah for both men and women, because it was proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to observe i'tikaaf during Ramadaan, and finally he settled on i'tikaaf during the last ten days, and some of his wives used to observe i'tikaaf with him, then they observed i’tikaaf after he died. The place for i’tikaaf is the mosque in which prayers in congregation are performed.

From the internet website of Shaykh Ibn Baaz.

And Allaah knows best.

[Afifa]

Jazakallah

just one question...does that mean the women can sit in itikaaf at a mosque or just in thier homes? :?

['Abd al-Baari]

:sl:

just one question...does that mean the women can sit in itikaaf at a mosque o just in thier homes?

In the Masjid, as this was the practice of Um'mul Mu'mineen, Aishah RadiyAllahu Anha.

:w:

[Re.TiReD]

:salamext:

I was wondering about this just several days ago.

JazakAllahu khayran :)

WassalamuAlaykum

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[Trn2allah]

Jazakallah

just one question...does that mean the women can sit in itikaaf at a mosque o just in thier homes? :?

Some of his wives used to observe i'tikaaf with him, then they observed i’tikaaf after he died. The place for i’tikaaf is the mosque in which prayers in congregation are performed.

With him in the Masjid

[Brother_Mujahid]

i don't think masjids today cater or allow women to do itikhaf in the masjid.

[Re.TiReD]

i don't think masjids today cater or allow women to do itikhaf in the masjid.

Some do akhee. And the ones that allow sisters to pray Taraweeh most probably would aswell.

[Brother_Mujahid]

Some do akhee. And the ones that allow sisters to pray Taraweeh most probably would aswell.

eh, not down here they don't

I've not heard of any masjid which allows women to do itikhaf...

[Re.TiReD]

I've not heard of any masjid which allows women to do itikhaf...

thats probably because they havnt asked. If the masjid would reserve a room for sisters to pray Taraweeh in I'm certain they'd reserve one for I'tikaaf.

[Brother_Mujahid]

so that doesnt mean they necessarily will allow women to do itikhaf....

Most the masjids only have a shower or two max. Plus they only have one kitchen. So Even if they cater for sisters to pray, it may not be feasable to have sisters doing itikhaf in the same masjids.

Wasalam

[Re.TiReD]

so that doesnt mean they necessarily will allow women to do itikhaf....

Most the masjids only have a shower or two max. Plus they only have one kitchen. So Even if they cater for sisters to pray, it may not be feasable to have sisters doing itikhaf in the same masjids.

Wasalam

I get you.

And it makes sense, although the masjid that I pray at has all the facilities alhamdulillah.

Its just that nobody has asked.

[Trn2allah]

I know that many sisters attend the tarawih prayer in Manchester didsbury Masjid but im unsure to whether they facilitate Itikaaf for them too. You can perhaps try to find out starting here...

http://www.didsburymosque.com/Main.asp

[Afifa]

I guess in these times it would be easier for women to do itikaaf at home.

[*Maysun]

^Insha Allah .. At that time i will be making my itikaaf at Haramaain Insha Allah

[Faye]

In Pakistan, the general practice is for women to do Itikaaf in their homes. That may be the position of Hanafi Mazhab, though I'm not sure ...

[Faye]

From http://members.tripod.com/worldupdat...adaan/id58.htm
WHERE TO PERFORM I'TIKAAF
The best of places for I'tikaaf is the Masjidul Haram in Makkah. The next best is the Masjidun-Nabawiy in Madinah, and the next best is Baytul Muqaddas. Thereafter, comes the Jaama Masjid in one's own time, and last but not least, the Masjid nearest to one's home. Imaam Abu Hanifa stipulates that the Masjid should be one wherein the five daily Salaat are regularly performed, while Imaam Abu Yusuf and Imaam Muhammad agree that any Masjid acceptable to the Shari'ah can be entered for I'tikaaf. The above applies to the males. As for the females, they should perform It'ikaaf in the prayer room (Masjid set aside in their homes). Where, however, no such demarcated place exists, any one room or part of the house should be set aside for this purpose. I'tikaaf is thus in fact an easier task for women. The domestic duties can be performed by daughters or servants under her supervision and the woman in I'tikaaf, while remaining in a section of her own house, is spiritually rewarded for it. It is so very unfortunate that, in spite of this relative ease, our womenfolk still remain deprived of the blessings of I'tikaaf.

[Umu 'Isa]

:sl:

It is not correct for a woman to observe i’tikaaf in her house

Can a woman observe itikaf at home , what if she has to cook.

Praise be to Allaah.

I’tikaaf is only valid if done in the mosque, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And do not have sexual relations with them (your wives) while you are in I‘tikaaf (i.e. confining oneself in a mosque for prayers and invocations leaving the worldly activities) in the mosques”

[al-Baqarah 2:187]

Men and women are equal in this regard.

Ibn Qudaamah said in al-Mughni:

A woman has the right to observe i‘tikaaf in any mosque, and that is not subject to the condition that it be a mosque where prayers are performed in congregation, because that is not obligatory upon her. This was the view of al-Shaafa’i.

She does not have the right to observe i'tikaaf in her house, because Allaah says “while you are in I‘tikaaf (i.e. confining oneself in a mosque for prayers and invocations leaving the worldly activities) in the mosques”, and because the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) asked him for permission to observe i’tikaaf in the mosque, and he gave them permission.

Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo’ (6/480):

It is not correct for a man or a woman to observe i'tikaaf anywhere except in the mosque.

This is the view favoured by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen in al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 6/513

And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A

[Faye]

I know that's the Islamqa fatwa, but to the best of my knowledge, all four mazhabs say women's itikaaf is in the home. Let's not argue fatwaas here, obviously both sides must have valid arguements to support them.

[Trn2allah]

Please show your sources
Jazakallahu Khairan

[Faye]

Here is the Hanafi fatwaa:

How would a woman ALONE in her home perform Itikaaf?

The following practicalities come to mind and it would be appreciated if guidance sould be received on these issues 1. Must she specify an area of a room for I'tikaaf, or could it a room or area of the house(bearing in mind that she will be alone) 2. Is she allowed to prepare her own food 3.Would the conditions of I'tikaaf be violated is she answered the phone, 4. Could she let her maid in one day in the week 5. If she is allowed to answer the door etc, would it be advisable to hold the weekly ladies T'aleem at her home or not. Jazaakallah

Answer 4355

A female may specify any one portion of the house for I'tikaaf. That may be
the entire room, whenever she is free, she may return to that area and
engage in any form of ibaadat. Points 2, 3, 4, and 5 will be appropriate
during I'tikaaf.

and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best

Mufti Ebrahim Desai
FATWA DEPT.

from http://groups.msn.com/Muslimsaroundt...93807028633888

I maybe wrong about the other mazhab's though, cuz the islmqa fatwa specically states Imaam Shafee's view.

[Trn2allah]

Im quite well acquainted and i know that the fatawa on ask-imam are not always in accordance to the actual madhab of Imaam Abu Hanifah RA. Have you ever come across any proof from the Quraan and Sunnah or any classical scholars?

I was also of the forementioned view before I read the answer given by Shayhk Salahul Munajid from Islam Q and A. I was actually going to advise my wife on making itikaaf at home this year...

[Faye]

I'll look for proof, but this is the view of all the pakistani ulema/books I've seen, or talked to and not just Mufti Desai. Just this morning I read the same in Taleem ul-Islaam, a very baby level fiqh book. It doesn't offer adillah, though.:(

[Na7lah]

you can do itikaf at home?

our masjid allows it alhamdulillah, but i don't sleep there, in the last ten nights we go down there for tahajud but not to sleep there

my dad and brother stay there though

[Faye]

I looked it up in Hidayah and it says: and (narrated) from Abu Hanifa Rahimahullah: I'tikaaf cannot be done except in a masjid where the 5 salawaat are prayed, because it (I'tikaaf) is the Ibadat of waiting for Salat, and so is specific to the place where they (the salawaat) are offered. As for a woman, she does I3tikaaf in the masjid of her home, because that is the place where she prays, so her waiting there is correct. And if she doesn't have a masjid in the house, she (should) make a place where she will do I'tikaaf.

This is a quote from Imaam Abu Hanifa. So this is apparently the correct Hanafi position. Islamqa, however is not Hanafi and their opinion differs, which does not mean they are wrong. However Hanafis should follow Hanafi fatawa.

PS. Sorry, if my translation is choppy. The original is in Arabic. If somebody wants, I can scan it for them.

[Faye]

It is not correct for a woman to observe i’tikaaf in her house

Can a woman observe itikaf at home , what if she has to cook.

Praise be to Allaah.

I’tikaaf is only valid if done in the mosque, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And do not have sexual relations with them (your wives) while you are in I‘tikaaf (i.e. confining oneself in a mosque for prayers and invocations leaving the worldly activities) in the mosques”

[al-Baqarah 2:187]

Men and women are equal in this regard.

Ibn Qudaamah said in al-Mughni:

A woman has the right to observe i‘tikaaf in any mosque, and that is not subject to the condition that it be a mosque where prayers are performed in congregation, because that is not obligatory upon her. This was the view of al-Shaafa’i.

She does not have the right to observe i'tikaaf in her house, because Allaah says “while you are in I‘tikaaf (i.e. confining oneself in a mosque for prayers and invocations leaving the worldly activities) in the mosques”, and because the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) asked him for permission to observe i’tikaaf in the mosque, and he gave them permission.

Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo’ (6/480):

It is not correct for a man or a woman to observe i'tikaaf anywhere except in the mosque.

This is the view favoured by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen in al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 6/513

And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A

Um, I don't mean to critique a learned scholar but this fatwa does not appear to me to be as solidly based in Quran and hadith as it looks like. The Ayat that they gave does not show that men and women are equal in this regard, especially as it addresses men; Imaam Shafee's statement seems a little vague, because if a mosque just means a place of prayer, and not a place where congregational prayer is offered, that could just as easily be a place in somebody's home; and the hadith where the Nabi SAWS gave permission is not given. The only offered evidence that this fatwa is based on is Imaam Nawai's statement.

There may be other evidence that the scholar based his answer on and did not give. I'm not saying that the fatwaa is wrong, just that the evidence offered is inconclusive.

[islamirama]

Here's some more info for everybody inshallah.

A woman performing i'tikaaf at home (from fatwa-online.com)

I’tikaaf of women in the mosque .

I’tikaaf of both men and women is only valid if observed in the mosque .

Can a woman observe i’tikaaf for the full ten days? .

Can a man prevent his wife from observing i’tikaaf?