Lessons derived from the hadith
- The Prophet ﷺ used to observe iʿtikāf during the middle ten nights of Ramadan in search of Laylat al-Qadr, before learning that it lies in the last ten nights.
- This report is one of the proofs cited by those who hold that Laylat al-Qadr occurs on the twenty-first night.
- The hadith indicates that the night is in the last ten, with a stronger likelihood on the odd-numbered nights.
- Dreams are true—especially the dreams of the prophets, peace be upon them.
- It describes the Prophet’s mosque ﷺ in his time: a simple shelter roofed with palm fronds plastered with clay, its walls of palm stalks, and its pillars of palm trunks. Their way of building mosques was to fill them with worship, not to embellish them with lofty structures and ornamentation.
Chapter: Iʿtikāf (Spiritual Retreat)
Linguistically, iʿtikāf means to adhere firmly to something and confine oneself to it. Allah says, “they remain devoted to their idols,” meaning they cling to them and stay by them.
In Islamic law it is “for a specific person to remain in a mosque, in a specific manner, in obedience to Allah.”
Ruling: The scholars unanimously agree that it is prescribed, and they also agree that it is recommended rather than obligatory.
Its wisdom and benefit: Ibn al-Qayyim says in al-Hady, “Since the soundness of the heart and its uprightness on the path to Allah depend on its being gathered upon Him and its scattered concerns united by turning wholly to Him, iʿtikāf was legislated. Its aim and essence are for the heart to dwell with Allah, concentrate upon Him, find seclusion with Him, and cut itself off from preoccupation with creation—occupying itself with Him alone—so that His remembrance and turning to Him take the place of the heart’s worries and passing thoughts. He then prevails over them; all concerns focus on Him, every inner thought becomes remembrance of Him and reflection on attaining His good pleasure and drawing near to Him. The servant’s intimacy with Allah thus replaces his intimacy with people, preparing him for his companionship with Allah on the day of loneliness in the grave, when he will have no companion and nothing to cheer him but Him. This is the supreme purpose of iʿtikāf.”