Sunan An-Nabi

Chapter 18: The Adab of I’tikaf

  1. In al-Faqih: In his narration from Dawud ibn al-Hasin from Abi ‘Abbas from Abi ‘Abdillah (as) who said: The Holy Prophet (S) performed i’tikaf[^1] in the month of Ramad’an on the first ten days, then he performed i’tikaf the following year in the middle ten days and in the third year, he performed the i’tikaf on the last ten days - and from then on he always performed his i’tikaf on the last ten days of the holy month of Ramad’an.[^2]

  2. Also: Abu ‘Abdillah (as) said: The battle of Badr took place in the month of Ramad’an so the Holy Prophet (S) did not perform i’tikaf and the following year he performed i’tikaf for twenty days, ten for that year and ten to make up for the previous year which he missed.[^3]

Note: This narration has also been mentioned by al-Kulayni.[^4]

  1. In al-Kafi: Narrated from al-Halabi from Abi ‘Abdillah (as) who said: When the last ten days entered, the Noble Prophet (S) would perform i’tikaf in the masjid and a small tent made of fur was erected for him, and he gathered up his covers. Someone asked: “Did he disassociate himself from his wives?” He (as) replied: “No, he did not disassociate himself from his wives.”[^5]

Note: There are many similar narrations and some have been mentioned earlier and they have explained that the meaning of not disassociating with one’s wives (during i’tikaf) refers to the permissibility of mingling and mixing with them without intimacy.[^6]

[^1]: An act of worship where one stays inside a mosque for between 3-10 days, fasts by day and worships by night (Tr.)

[^2]: al-Faqih 2:189, Da`aim al-Islam 1:286, al-Kafi 4:175, al-Mustadrak 7:560

[^3]: al-Faqih 2:183

[^4]: al-Kafi 4:175, al-Mustadrak 7:560

[^5]: al-Kafi 4:175

[^6]: al-Faqih 2:184, Tahdhib al-Ahkam 4:287, al-Usul al-Sittata ‘Ashar: 112