Q) I would like to know the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) with regard to i’tikaaf.
A) Praise be to Allaah.
The guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) with regard to i’tikaaf was the most perfect and moderate of guidance.
Once he observed i’tikaaf in the first ten days of Ramadaan, then in the middle ten days, seeking Laylat al-Qadr. Then he was told that it is in the last ten days, so then he always observed i’tikaaf during the last ten days, until he met his Lord.
On one occasion he did not observe i’tikaaf during the last ten days, so he made it up in Shawwaal and observed i'tikaaf during the first ten days thereof. This was narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim. In the year in which he died, he observed i'tikaaf for twenty days. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2040.
It was said that the reason for that is that he knew his life was drawing to a close, so he wanted to increase his good deeds, to show his ummah how to strive hard in doing good deeds when the opportunity for doing so drew to close, so that they could meet Allaah in the best way. And it was said that the reason was that Jibreel used to review the Qur’aan with him once each Ramadaan, but in the year in which he died, he reviewed it with him twice, which is why his i’tikaaf was twice as long as usual.
A more likely reason is that he observed i’tikaaf for twenty days in that year because the year before he had been traveling. This is indicated by the report narrated by al-Nasaa’i and Abu Dawood, and classed as saheeh by Ibn Hibbaan and others, from Ubayy ibn Ka’b who said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to observe i’tikaaf during the last ten days of Ramadaan, but he travelled one year and did not observe i’tikaaf, so the following year he observed i’tikaaf for twenty days. Fath al-Baari.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to order that a kind of tent be pitched for him in the mosque, and he would stay in it, keeping away from people and turning to his Lord, so he could be on his own with his Lord in a true sense of the word.
On one occasion he observed i’tikaaf in a small tent, and put a reed mat over the door. Narrated by Muslim, 1167.
Ibn al-Qayyim said in Zaad al-Ma’aad, 2/90:
All of this to achieve the spirit and purpose of i'tikaaf, and is the opposite of what the ignorant do, whereby the place of i’tikaaf becomes a place of gathering and meeting with people and chatting to them. This is one thing, and i'tikaaf as observed by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is something else.
He used to stay in the mosque the whole time, and not leave it except to relieve himself. ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “He would not enter his house for anything except for a need when he was observing i'tikaaf.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2029; Muslim, 297. According to a report narrated by Muslim: “Except for human needs.” Al-Zuhri interpreted this as referring to urination and defecation.
He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) made sure he remained clean. He would lean his head out of the mosque into ‘Aa’ishah’s apartment so that she should wash his head and comb his hair.
Al-Bukhaari (2028) and Muslim (297) narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to lean his head towards me when he was observing i’tikaaf in the mosque, and I would comb his hair, when I was menstruating.” According to a report also narrated by al-Bukhaari: “And I would wash it.”
Al-Haafiz said:
This hadeeth indicates that it is permissible to clean oneself, put on perfume, wash oneself, comb one’s hair etc (when in i’tikaaf). The majority of scholars are of the view that nothing is makrooh except that which it is makrooh to do in the mosque.
When he was in i’tikaaf, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not visit the sick or attend funerals. This was so that he could concentrate fully on conversing with Allaah and achieving the purpose of i’tikaaf, which is to cut oneself off from people and turn to Allaah.
‘Aa’ishah said: The Sunnah is for the person in i'tikaaf not to visit the sick or attend funerals, or to be intimate with his wife. But there is nothing wrong with his going out for essential needs. Narrated by Abu Dawood, 2473; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.
“or to be intimate with his wife” means intercourse. This was stated by al-Shawkaani in Nayl al-Awtaar.
Some of his wives used to visit him when he was in i’tikaaf. When she stood up to leave, he would take her home – that was at night.
It was narrated from Safiyyah the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that she came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and visited him when he was in i’tikaaf in the mosque, during the last ten days of Ramadaan. She spoke with him for a while, then she stood up to leave. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stood up with her to take her home. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2035; Muslim, 2175.
In conclusion, his i’tikaaf was moderate and not harsh. He spent all his time remembering Allaah and turning to Him in worship, seeking Laylat al-Qadr.
See: Zaad al-Ma’aad by Ibn al-Qayyim, 2/90; al-I’tikaaf Nazrah Tarbawiyyah by Dr ‘Abd al-Lateef Balto.
Islam Q&A
Monday, September 15, 2008
It is not permissible for one who is fasting to insult anyone
Q) If i fast and during fasting i swear or be mean to someone is my fast broken?i would like to know because my friends swear and be mean to people while they are fasting and i would like to tell them why they should prevent evil like swearing.
A) Praise be to Allaah.
Committing sins during the day in Ramadaan, such as swearing or insulting others, does not invalidate the fast as such, but it detracts from the reward for fasting. These sins may take away all of the reward, and the fasting person is left with nothing as a result of his fast apart from hunger and thirst.
The fasting person is enjoined to guard all his faculties against disobeying Allaah. The purpose behind fasting is not simply to refrain from eating and drinking, rather the purpose is to refrain from disobeying Allaah and to achieve piety or fear of Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O you who believe! Observing As-Sawm (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious.)”
[al-Baqarah 2:183]
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever does not give up false speech and acting upon it, Allaah has no need of his giving up his food and drink.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1903, 6075.
False speech includes all kinds of speech that are haraam, such as lying, backbiting, slandering, insulting and cursing.
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If any one of you is fasting, let him not utter obscenities or act in an ignorant manner, and if anyone insults him or wants to fight him, let him say, I am fasting.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1894; Muslim 1151.
Al-Haafiz said:
“Let him not utter obscene speech” means let him not say any foul words.
“Let him not act in an ignorant manner” means let him not do any of the actions done by ignorant people such as yelling, being foolish, etc.
What is meant by this hadeeth is that he should not react in kind, rather he should limit himself to saying, “I am fasting.”
If the fasting person is commanded not to react to one who insults him, how can it be appropriate for him to mistreat people or be the first to insult them?
Al-Nawawi said:
Note that the prohibition against obscene speech, ignorant action, argument and insults on the part of one who is fasting is not restricted only to him, rather each of these things is forbidden in general, but the prohibition is stronger in the case of one who is fasting.
Al-Haakim narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Fasting does not just mean abstaining from food and drink, rather fasting means abstaining from idle and obscene speech. If someone curses you or treats you in an ignorant manner, then say, ‘I am fasting, I am fasting.’”
Ibn Maajah (1690) said: Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “It may be that the fasting person gets nothing from his fast apart from hunger, and it may be that the one who prays qiyaam at night may get nothing from his qiyaam but a sleepless night.”
See also Question no. 37989 concerning lying whilst fasting.
Islam Q&A
A) Praise be to Allaah.
Committing sins during the day in Ramadaan, such as swearing or insulting others, does not invalidate the fast as such, but it detracts from the reward for fasting. These sins may take away all of the reward, and the fasting person is left with nothing as a result of his fast apart from hunger and thirst.
The fasting person is enjoined to guard all his faculties against disobeying Allaah. The purpose behind fasting is not simply to refrain from eating and drinking, rather the purpose is to refrain from disobeying Allaah and to achieve piety or fear of Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O you who believe! Observing As-Sawm (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious.)”
[al-Baqarah 2:183]
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever does not give up false speech and acting upon it, Allaah has no need of his giving up his food and drink.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1903, 6075.
False speech includes all kinds of speech that are haraam, such as lying, backbiting, slandering, insulting and cursing.
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If any one of you is fasting, let him not utter obscenities or act in an ignorant manner, and if anyone insults him or wants to fight him, let him say, I am fasting.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1894; Muslim 1151.
Al-Haafiz said:
“Let him not utter obscene speech” means let him not say any foul words.
“Let him not act in an ignorant manner” means let him not do any of the actions done by ignorant people such as yelling, being foolish, etc.
What is meant by this hadeeth is that he should not react in kind, rather he should limit himself to saying, “I am fasting.”
If the fasting person is commanded not to react to one who insults him, how can it be appropriate for him to mistreat people or be the first to insult them?
Al-Nawawi said:
Note that the prohibition against obscene speech, ignorant action, argument and insults on the part of one who is fasting is not restricted only to him, rather each of these things is forbidden in general, but the prohibition is stronger in the case of one who is fasting.
Al-Haakim narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Fasting does not just mean abstaining from food and drink, rather fasting means abstaining from idle and obscene speech. If someone curses you or treats you in an ignorant manner, then say, ‘I am fasting, I am fasting.’”
Ibn Maajah (1690) said: Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “It may be that the fasting person gets nothing from his fast apart from hunger, and it may be that the one who prays qiyaam at night may get nothing from his qiyaam but a sleepless night.”
See also Question no. 37989 concerning lying whilst fasting.
Islam Q&A
Smoking is haraam and invalidates the fast
Q) Some people say that fasting is not invalidated by smoking; because it is not food or drink. What is your opinion about this?
A) Praise be to Allaah.
I think that this is a view for which there is no basis. Rather smoking is a kind of drinking; in Arabic they say that one “drinks” a cigarette. Moreover, there is no doubt that it reaches the stomach and the inside of the body, and everything that reaches the stomach and the inside of the body invalidates the fast, whether it is beneficial or harmful, even if a person were to swallow a bead from the masbahah, or a piece of iron, or anything else, it invalidates the fast. So it is not essential that the thing that invalidates the fast, or that is eaten or drunk, should be nourishing or beneficial. Everything that reaches the stomach is regarded as food or drink. They believe – indeed they know – that this is a kind of drink, and if anyone says this then he is being arrogant.
Moreover, I think that the month of Ramadaan is an opportunity for the one who is sincerely resolved and wants to give up this foul, harmful habit of smoking. I think that it is an opportunity because he is going to abstain from it throughout the day in Ramadaan, and at night he can distract himself from it by means of the food and drink that Allaah has permitted to him, and by frequenting the mosques and attending gatherings of righteous people, and he can keep away from those who have this habit. If he abstains from it throughout the month, then that will be a great help to him in giving it up for the rest of his life. This is an opportunity which smokers should not miss. End quote.
Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, Fataawa al-Siyaam (203. 204).
A) Praise be to Allaah.
I think that this is a view for which there is no basis. Rather smoking is a kind of drinking; in Arabic they say that one “drinks” a cigarette. Moreover, there is no doubt that it reaches the stomach and the inside of the body, and everything that reaches the stomach and the inside of the body invalidates the fast, whether it is beneficial or harmful, even if a person were to swallow a bead from the masbahah, or a piece of iron, or anything else, it invalidates the fast. So it is not essential that the thing that invalidates the fast, or that is eaten or drunk, should be nourishing or beneficial. Everything that reaches the stomach is regarded as food or drink. They believe – indeed they know – that this is a kind of drink, and if anyone says this then he is being arrogant.
Moreover, I think that the month of Ramadaan is an opportunity for the one who is sincerely resolved and wants to give up this foul, harmful habit of smoking. I think that it is an opportunity because he is going to abstain from it throughout the day in Ramadaan, and at night he can distract himself from it by means of the food and drink that Allaah has permitted to him, and by frequenting the mosques and attending gatherings of righteous people, and he can keep away from those who have this habit. If he abstains from it throughout the month, then that will be a great help to him in giving it up for the rest of his life. This is an opportunity which smokers should not miss. End quote.
Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, Fataawa al-Siyaam (203. 204).
Expiation for one who has intercourse during the day in Ramadaan and the amount of food to be given
Q) What is the expiation for one who has intercourse during the day in Ramadaan and what is the amount of food to be given?
A) Praise be to Allaah.
If a man has intercourse with his wife during the day in Ramadaan, each of them must offer expiation, which is freeing a Muslim slave. If they are unable to do that, then they must each fast for two consecutive months if she was willing. If they are unable to do that then they must feed sixty poor persons, each of them giving thirty saa’s of the local staple food, one saa’ for each poor person, half on behalf of the man and half on behalf of the woman, if they are unable to free a slave or fast. They also have to make up the fast for the day on which intercourse took place, and repent to Allaah and turn to Him, and regret it, and give it up, and ask for forgiveness, because intercourse during the day in Ramadan is a great evil and it is not permissible for anyone who is obliged to fast. End quote.
Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz (15/302).
Based on that, the amount of food that should be given to the poor person is half a saa’ of rice etc., i.e., approximately one and half kilograms.
Islam Q&A
A) Praise be to Allaah.
If a man has intercourse with his wife during the day in Ramadaan, each of them must offer expiation, which is freeing a Muslim slave. If they are unable to do that, then they must each fast for two consecutive months if she was willing. If they are unable to do that then they must feed sixty poor persons, each of them giving thirty saa’s of the local staple food, one saa’ for each poor person, half on behalf of the man and half on behalf of the woman, if they are unable to free a slave or fast. They also have to make up the fast for the day on which intercourse took place, and repent to Allaah and turn to Him, and regret it, and give it up, and ask for forgiveness, because intercourse during the day in Ramadan is a great evil and it is not permissible for anyone who is obliged to fast. End quote.
Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz (15/302).
Based on that, the amount of food that should be given to the poor person is half a saa’ of rice etc., i.e., approximately one and half kilograms.
Islam Q&A
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