Itikaf means lying down, standing. As if lying in the court of Allah for the purpose that until there is forgiveness and mercy, I will lie in the court.

I'tikaf is called in terminology: I'tikaf is to stay for some time in the holy house of Allah Ta'ala in the hope of attaining his pleasure.

Itikaf is of three types: 1. Nafal I'tikaf which can be for a short period of time. 2. Sunnah I'tikaf which takes place during the last ten days of Ramadan. 3. Wajib I'tikaf is to perform a full day with fasting by observing it.

This I'tikaf of the last decade of Ramadan is Sunnah Muakkadah Kefaya. Ibnul Mundhir in his book called 'Al-Ijma' (page-53) said,

And they agreed on the fact that the return of the Sunnah is not obligatory on people except that it is obligatory on one's self to make a vow.

"The scholars have agreed that I'tikaf is Sunnah; Not obligatory. But if someone takes an oath and makes it obligatory upon himself, it is obligatory.”

Just as there is an opportunity for men to do itikaf, there is also an opportunity for women. Just as men can perform I'tikaf, so can women. Rather it is easier for women to perform Itikaaf. They will select a corner of the house and stay there for Itikaaf. The period of Sunnah Itikaaf begins from the twenty-first night of Ramadan. On the 20th of Ramadan, you have to reach the place of Itikaaf before the sun sets. After that, when the Eid moon is seen, the time of Itikaf ends.

Hazrat Ibn Abbas Razi. Narrated the hadith from, he said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

مَنِ عْتَكَفَ يَوْمًا ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ اللَّهِ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ النَّارِ ثَلاثَ خَنَادِقَ , كُلُّ خَنْدَقٍ أَبَعْدُ مِمَّا بَيْنَ الْخافِقَيْنِ

A person who gives pure to Allah and performs Nafal I'tikaf for one day, Allah will remove Hellfire from him by three trenches. A "trench" is defined as a distance greater than the distance from the sky to the ground.

Ibn Abbas RA. It was narrated that he said, The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said about the one who makes itikaaf.

هُوَ يَعْكِفُ الذُّنُوبَ , وَيُجْرَى لَهُ مِنْ الْحَسَنَاتِ كَعَامِلِ الْحَسَنَاتِ كُلِّهَا

Itikaafari resists sin. The doer of I'tikaf will be given good deeds like all good deeds." (Ibn Majah 1781)

Itikaf has three special benefits and virtues. That is: A special benefit of I'tikaf is that by doing I'tikaf there is a special possibility of getting Lailatul Qadr or Shab Qadr. Because the last decade of Ramadan is the most likely time for Shab Qadr. And the Itikafker is in the court of Allah during this whole time. So by doing Itikaf in the last decade of Ramadan, getting Lailatul Qadr or Shaba Qadr is pretty much guaranteed.

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Performing I'tikaf in the last decade of the holy month of Ramadan is muaqadah in the Sunnah. If no one sits in the mosque of a neighborhood, then all the residents of the neighborhood will be sinners. And if even one person sits then all will be saved from sin.

A wrong deed: performing I'tikaf with a fee

It can be seen in some areas, if no one in the area does itikaaf in the last ten days of Ramadan, a poor person from another area or from their own area is made to do itikaaf with food and wages. This is not right. I'tikaf is not valid if I'tikaf is paid.

I'tikaf is an act of worship, which is not interchangeable. So it is not permissible to take exchange for Itikaaf. As a result, if I'tikaf is performed in exchange with someone, the I'tikaf will not be valid and the local people will not be exempted by this.

As we know, it is Sunnah to perform Itikaaf during the last ten days of Ramadan, Muakkadah Alal Kifayah. If even one person sits in I'tikaf in a mosque, the people of the area will be saved from the sin of circumcision. And if no one does I'tikaf, then everyone in that area will be considered as Sunnah Taraqari.

It is a matter of regret that no one, old or young, can be found to perform I'tikaf in an area. This should not be the case. Everyone is busy, so no one can be found in the whole area for a meritorious act like I'tikaf - it can't happen. The matter needs to be thought about beforehand and the worshipers need to be encouraged for this practice. May Allah grant us all tawfiq to be pioneers in all kinds of good deeds - Ameen. (Dr. Hedaya, Fathul Qadir 2/304; Raddul Muhtar 2/442,6/55)

# Al Kawsar

Many people think that I'tikaaf is a very difficult act, so they don't want to sit in I'tikaf out of fear. But the matter is not so difficult but it is an easy worship. Pak will go to the mosque with a clean bed and light stuff. He will sleep there on time, eat with manners while eating, go to the toilet if necessary and the rest of the time he will lie down and read tasbeeh, tahlil or tilawat and books of different eras and elders. He will talk less.