Book Thirty Three - Book on Retiring to the Masjid (I’tikaf)

Hadith Number 242.
Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar (Radhi Allahu Anhuma): Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) used to practise I’tikaf in the last ten days of the month of Ramadan.


Hadith Number 243.

Narrated by ‘Aishah (Radhi Allahu Anha): (The wife of the Prophet) The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) used to practice I’tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan till he died and then his wives used to practice I’tikaf after him.


Hadith Number 244.

Narrated by Abu Said Al-Khudri : Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) used to practice I’tikaf in the middle ten days of Ramadan and once he stayed in I’tikaf till the night of the twenty-first and it was the night in the morning of which he used to come out of his I’tikaf. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "Whoever was in I’tikaf with me should stay in I’tikaf for the last ten days, for I was informed (of the date) of the Night (of Qadr) but I have been caused to forget it. (In the dream) I saw myself prostrating in mud and water in the morning of that night. So, look for it in the last ten nights and in the odd ones of them." It rained that night and the roof of the Masjid dribbled as it was made of leaf stalks of date-palms. I saw with my own eyes the mark of mud and water on the forehead of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) (i.e. in the morning of the twenty-first).


Hadith Number 245.

Narrated by ‘Aishah (Radhi Allahu Anha): The Prophet used to (put) bend his head (out) to me while he was in I’tikaf in the mosque during my monthly periods and I would comb and oil his hair.


Hadith Number 246.

Narrated by ‘Aishah (Radhi Allahu Anha): (The wife of the Prophet) Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) used to let his head in (the house) while he was in the Masjid and I would comb and oil his hair. When in I’tikaf he used not to enter the house except for a need. (*)


* Such need my be to answer the call of nature and performing ablution. Scholars differ as to whether it is permissible also for a Mu’takif to eat and drink outside the Masjid.

Hadith Number 247.

Narrated by ‘Aishah (Radhi Allahu Anha): The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) used to embrace me during my menses. He also used to put his head out of the Masjid while he was in I’tikaf, and I would wash it during my menses.


Hadith Number 248.

Narrated by Ibn 'Umar (Radhi Allahu Anhuma): Umar (Radhi Allahu Anhu) asked the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) "I vowed in the Pre-Islamic period of ignorance to stay in I’tikaf for one night in Al-Masjid al-Haram." The Prophet said to him, "Fulfill your vow."


Hadith Number 249.

Narrated by 'Amra: ‘Aishah (Radhi Allahu Anha) said, "the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) used to practice I’tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan and I used to pitch a tent for him, and after offering the morning prayer, he used to enter the tent." Hafsa (Radhi Allahu Anha) asked the permission of ‘Aishah (Radhi Allahu Anha) to pitch a tent for her and she allowed her and she pitched her tent. When Zainab bint Jahsh (Radhi Allahu Anhu) saw it, she pitched another tent. In the morning the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) noticed the tents. He said, 'What is this?" He was told of the whole situation. Then the Prophet (Sallallahu 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."


Hadith Number 250.

Narrated by ‘Aishah (Radhi Allahu Anha): The Prophet intended to practice I’tikaf and when he reached the place where he intended to perform I’tikaf, he saw some tents, the tents of 'Aishah, Hafsa and Zainab (Radhi Allahu Anhun) . So, he said, "Do you consider that they intended to do righteousness by doing this?" And then he (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) went away and did not perform I’tikaf (in Ramadan) but performed it in the month of Shawwal for ten days.

Hadith Number 251.

Narrated by Ali bin Al-Husain: Safiya (Radhi Allahu Anha), the wife of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) told me that she went to Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) to visit him in the Masjid while he was in I’tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan. She had a talk with him for a while, then she got up in order to return home. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) accompanied her. When they reached the gate of the Masjid, opposite the door of Um-Salama, two Ansari men were passing by and they greeted Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam). He told them: Do not run away! And said, "She is (my wife) Safiya bint Huyai." Both of them said, "Subhan Allah, (How dare we think of any evil) O Allah's Messenger!" And they felt it. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said (to them), "Satan reaches everywhere in the human body as blood reaches in it, (everywhere in one's body). I was afraid lest Satan might insert an evil thought in your minds."


Hadith Number 252.

Narrated by Abu Salama bin 'Abdur-Rahman: I asked Abu Said Al-Khudri (Radhi Allahu Anhu), "Did you hear Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) talking about the Night of Qadr?" He replied in the affirmative and said, "Once we were in I’tikaf with Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) in the middle ten days of (Ramadan) and we came out of it in the morning of the twentieth, and Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam)- delivered a sermon on the 20th (of Ramadan) and said, 'I was informed (of the date) of the Night of Qadr (in my dream) but had forgotten it. So, look for it in the odd nights of the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan. I saw myself prostrating in mud and water on that night (as a sign of the Night of Qadr). So, whoever had been in I’tikaf with Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) should return for it.' The people returned to the Masjid (for I’tikaf). There was no trace of clouds in the sky. But all of a sudden a cloud came and it rained. Then the prayer was established (they stood for the prayer) and Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) prostrated in mud and water and I saw mud over the forehead and the nose of the Prophet.


Hadith Number 253.

Narrated by ‘Aishah (Radhi Allahu Anha): One of the wives of Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) practiced I’tikaf with him while she had bleeding in between her periods and she would see red (blood) or yellowish traces, and sometimes we put a tray beneath her when she offered the prayer.


Hadith Number 254.

Narrated by 'Ali bin Al-Husain: From Safiya (Radhi Allahu Anha), the Prophet's (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) wife, The wives of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) were with him in the Masjid (while he was in I’tikaf) and then they departed and the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said to Safiya bint Huyai, "Don't hurry up, for I shall accompany you," (and her dwelling was in the house of Usama). The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) went out and in the meantime two Ansari men met him and they looked at the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) and passed by. The Prophet said to them, "Come here. She is (my wife) Safiya bint Huyai." They replied, "Subhan Allah, (How dare we think of evil) O Allah's Messenger! (we never expect anything bad from you)." The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) replied, "Satan circulates in the human being as blood circulates in the body, and I was afraid lest Satan might insert an evil thought in your minds."


Hadith Number 255.

Narrated by 'Ali bin Al-Husain : From Safiya (Radhi Allahu Anha), she went to the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) while he was in I’tikaf. When she returned, the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) accompanied her walking. An Ansari man saw him. When the Prophet noticed him, he called him and said, "Come here. She is Safiya. (Sufyan a sub-narrator perhaps said that the Prophet had said, "This is Safiya"). And Satan circulates in the body of Adam's offspring as his blood circulates in it."

(A sub-narrator asked Sufyan, "Did Safiya visit him at night?" He said, "Of course, at night.")


Hadith Number 256.

Narrated by Abu Said (Radhi Allahu Anhu): We practiced I’tikaf with Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) in the middle ten days (of Ramadan). In the morning of the twentieth (of Ramadan) we shifted our baggage, but Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) came to us and said, "Whoever was m I’tikaf should return to his place of I’tikaf, for I saw (i.e. was informed about the date of) this Night (of Qadr) and saw myself prostrating in mud and water." When I returned to my place the sky was overcast with clouds and it rained. By Him Who sent Muhammad with the Truth, the sky was covered with clouds from the end of that day, and the mosque which was roofed with leaf-stalks of date palm trees (leaked with rain) and I saw the trace of mud and water over the nose of the Prophet and its tip.

Hadith Number 257.

Narrated by 'Amra bint 'Abdur-Rahman from ‘Aishah (Radhi Allahu Anha): Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) used to practice I’tikaf every year in the month of Ramadan. And after offering the morning prayer, he used to enter the place of his I’tikaf. ‘Aishah (Radhi Allahu Anha) asked his permission to let her practice I’tikaf and he allowed her, and so she pitched a tent in the Masjid. When Hafsa (Radhi Allahu Anhu) heard of that, she also pitched a tent (for herself), and when Zainab (Radhi Allahu Anhu) heard of that, she too pitched another tent. When, in the morning, Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) had finished the morning prayer, he saw four tents and asked, "What is this?" He was informed about it. He then said, "What made them do this? Is it righteousness? Remove the tents, for I do not want to see them." So, the tents were removed. The Prophet did not perform I’tikaf that year in the month of Ramadan, but did it in the last ten days of Shawwal.


Hadith Number 258.

Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar (Radhi Allahu Anhuma) : 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (Radhi Allahu Anhu) said, "O Allah's Messenger! I vowed in the Pre-Islamic period to perform I’tikaf in Al-Masjid-al-Haram for one night." The Prophet said, "Fulfill your vow." So, he performed I’tikaf for one night.


Hadith Number 259.

Narrated by Ibn 'Umar (Radhi Allahu Anhuma) : That 'Umar (Radhi Allahu Anhu) had vowed in the Pre-Islamic period to perform I’tikaf in Al-Masjid-al-Haram. (A sub-narrator thinks that 'Umar (Radhi Allahu Anhu) vowed to perform I’tikaf for one night.) Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said to 'Umar (Radhi Allahu Anhu), "Fulfil your vow."


Hadith Number 260.

Narrated by Abu ‘Hurairah (Radhi Allahu Anhu): The Prophet used to perform I’tikaf every year in the month of Ramadan for ten days, and when it was the year of his death, he stayed in I’tikaf for twenty days.


Hadith Number 261.

Narrated by 'Amra bint 'AbdurRahman : From 'Aishah (Radhi Allahu Anha): Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) mentioned that he would practice I’tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan. ‘Aishah (Radhi Allahu Anha) asked his permission to perform I’tikaf and he permitted her. Hafsa (Radhi Allahu Anha) asked ‘Aishah (Radhi Allahu Anha) to take his permission for her, and she did so. When Zainab bint Jahsh (Radhi Allahu Anha) saw that, she ordered a tent to be pitched for her and it was pitched for her. Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) used to proceed to his tent after the prayer. So, he saw the tents and asked, "What is this?" He was told that those were the tents of 'Aishah, Hafsa, and Zainab (Radhi Allahu Anhuna). Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "Is it righteousness which they intended by doing so? I am not going to perform I’tikaf." So he returned home. When the fasting month was over, he performed I’tikaf for ten days in the month of Shawwal.


Hadith Number 262.

Narrated by 'Urwa: ‘Aishah (Radhi Allahu Anha) during her menses used to comb and oil the hair of the Prophet while he used to be in I’tikaf in the Masjid. He would stretch out his head towards her while she was in her chamber.