In the Name of Allah The Most Merciful The Bestower or Mercy
This is a brief account on the Fiqh (jurisprudence) of I‘tikaaf (seclusion in the mosque) which I have embarked upon with an introduction and clarification.
As for the introduction, then it is known that the last ten days of Ramadan represent the best time for practicing I‘tikaaf. What follows is a quick summary including the most prominent issues related to I‘tikaaf without tackling any scholarly differences of opinion. I shall mention some of the issues over which there is consensus among scholars, although most of the issues that I will mention cause a wide divergence of opinion among them. Regarding the last type of issue, I will refer to what seems preponderant to me in light of the Fatwas (vedicts) that were issued by the earlier as well as the latter day scholars and this is simply the result of my Ijtihaad (scholarly exertion) and I ask Allah The Almighty to grant me the reward of this Ijtihaad.
I will also touch on the fruits of I‘tikaaf and its wisdom because Muslim jurists have paid great attention to questions on the ruling of I‘tikaaf and on some of its relevant issues like, for instance, whether the person in I‘tikaaf is permitted to go out of the mosque or not, and what if he partially goes out? Would that invalidate his I‘tikaaf? These are important questions, but the most important question is why we practice I‘tikaaf.
The answer to this question will come at the end of this series of articles.