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Al-Barr: The Beneficent; The All-Good

Beforehand, we certainly used to call on Him because He is the All-Good, the Most Merciful. ( Surat at-Tur, 52:28)

Allah created all people and placed them in a setting that is perfectly suitable for human life and that was designed to serve them. In Surat an-Nahl, Allah informs us about some of these blessings:

He created man from a drop of sperm, and yet he is an open challenger! And He created livestock. There is warmth for you in them and various uses, and some of them you eat. And there is beauty in them for you in the evening when you bring them home, and in the morning when you drive them out to graze. They carry your loads to lands you would never reach, except with great difficulty. Your Lord is All-Gentle, Most Merciful. And horses, mules, and donkeys, both to ride and for adornment. And He creates other things you do not know. The Way should lead to Allah, but there are those who deviate from it. If He had willed, He could have guided every one of you. He sends down water from the sky, from which you drink and from which come the shrubs among which you graze your herds. And by it He makes crops grow for you, as well as olives, dates, grapes, and fruit of every kind. There is certainly a Sign in that for people who reflect. He has made night and day subservient to you, and the Sun and Moon and stars, all of which are subject to His command. There are certainly Signs in that for people who use their intellect. And also the things of varying colors He has created for you in Earth. There is certainly a Sign in that for people who pay heed. He made the sea subservient to you so that you can eat fresh meat from it and bring out from it ornaments to wear. And you see the ships cleaving through it so that you can seek His bounty, and so that hopefully you will show thanks. He cast firmly embedded mountains on the ground so it would not move under you, and rivers and pathways so that hopefully you would be guided, and landmarks. And they are guided by the stars. ( Surat an-Nahl, 16:4-16)

No doubt, one can never bring into being, possess, or attain any of the blessings mentioned above by his own efforts. However, Allah has granted all of these beauties to humanity as blessings to indicate His vast generosity toward His servants. In return for such goodness, what does He expect? In the remaining part of the sura, Allah answers that He expects humanity to heed and serve Him, as follows:

Is He Who creates like him who does not create? So will you not pay heed? If you tried to number Allah’s blessings, you could never count them. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
( Surat an-Nahl, 16:17-18)

Reminder On Eid

Ayesha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “The Messenger of Allah entered into my presence while I had two young girls singing the songs of Bu’aath, so he (peace be upon him) reclined upon his mattress and turned his face away. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) then walked in and rebuked me and said: ‘The music of Shaitan in front of the Prophet.’ Allah’s Messenger approached him and said: Leave them.”

Ayesha continued, “And when the Prophet (peace be upon him) dozed off, I signaled to the young girls, and they left.” and in another narration Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “O Abu Bakr, every people have an Eid and this is our ‘Eid.” (Al-Bukhari)

Imam Al-Baghawee said in Sharh-us-Sunnah (4/322): “Bu’aath is a well-known day for the Arabs. In it, a great battle occurred between the Aws and the Khazraj, and this war lasted for nearly 120 years until Islam came. Thus, the poetry that the two girls were singing contained a description of the war and bravery. Mentioning it aids the affairs of the religion. As for songs that mention abominable deeds and openly invite to forbidden acts and manifesting evil speech, then they are prohibited. It is inconceivable that this would take place in front of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and he would forget to censure it. The Prophet’s saying “Our Eid” (shows) that displaying happiness in the Two Eids is from the rituals of the religion, and thus they are not like other days.”

Ibn Hajr said, “The benefits of this Hadith are:

The legality of being liberal towards the family during the days of Eid, by all means that provide ease for the soul and relaxation for the body from the toils of worship. However, abstaining from such things is better. Also, displaying happiness in the days of Eid is a symbol of the Religion.” (Fath Al-Bari, 2/443)

Note: Music is prohibited at all times. Beating the Daff is permissible for women only during Eid, weddings, and when one who has been away returns. (See Al-Mawsoo’ah Al-Fiqhiyyah, 38/169 and Ibn Taymiyyah’s Majmoo’ Al-Fatawa, 11/565, 566)

Reminder
While celebrating Eid, do not forget the children in your neighborhood who may not be as fortunate as you are. Include them in your celebrations and joy. Give them gifts and tell your children to play with them. Surely the joy of making others happy is unmatchable.

Different Aspects of Itikaaf

Things which are forbidden in Itikaaf
Going out of the mosque. Itikaaf becomes invalid if a person leaves the mosque for no reason, because the Messenger did not go out of the mosque except in the case of “human need,” i.e., to eat or to answer the call of nature. Food used to be brought to him in the mosque, because Saalim says: “As for his food and drink, it was brought to him where he was in his place of Itikaaf.”

He also used to go out to purify himself from minor impurities and to do wudoo, as Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to put his head into my room whilst he was in the mosque, and I would comb his hair. He would not enter the house except in the case of need when he was in Itikaaf.” (Fath al-Baari, 4/808).

Touching women with desire – including intercourse. This is something which invalidates Itikaaf, because it is clearly stated that this is not permitted, in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “And do not have sexual relations with them (your wives) while you are in Itikaaf (i.e. confining oneself in a mosque for prayers and invocations, leaving the worldly activities) in the mosques” [al-Baqarah 2:187].

Menstruation and post-natal bleeding. If a woman who is in Itikaaf starts to menstruate or experiences post-natal bleeding, she has to leave the mosque to preserve the purity of the mosque. The same applies to anyone who is in a state of junub (impurity following sexual discharge) – until he does ghusl.

Some Common Question About Itikaaf

Where And When Can Itikaaf Be Performed?
Can Itikaaf only be done during the last ten days of Ramadan, or can it also be done during the first and middle ten days of Ramadan?

The observance of Itikaaf is not restricted to the last ten days of Ramadan. A person wishing to perform Itikaaf during the entire month of Ramadan is at liberty to do so, as this is also a Sunnah. To clarify this matter, Imam Bukhari entitled a chapter in his celebrated book, Bukhari.

The chapter on performing Itikaaf during the middle ten days of Ramadan. Under this chapter, he has narrated a hadith from Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu) that the Prophet, Peace and blessings be upon him, did Itikaaf for twenty days, in the year of his demise. (Bukhari, Fathul Baari, Umdatul Qari).

Shaykhul Islam Hafiz ibn Hajar and Allama Badrud-din-Ayni (commentators of Bukhari) have remarked that Imam Bukhari wants to point out that although observance of Itikaaf is much more preferable during the last ten days of Ramadan, it is not restricted to that period. It can also be done during the middle ten days of Ramadan, as this has been established from the Prophet, Peace and blessings be upon him.

A hadith recorded by Bukhari and Muslim mentions that the Prophet did Itikaaf during the entire month of Ramadan.

The hadith is as follows:
Abu Saeed Khudri narrates that the Prophet, Peace and blessings be upon him, once did Itikaaf during the first ten days of Ramadan, continuing it in the Turkish tent during the middle ten days. (One day) He stuck his head out (of the tent) and said, “I did Itikaaf during the first ten days, searching for this night (laylatul-qadr). I continued it (the Itikaaf) into the middle ten days (for the same purpose). I was then approached (by an angel) and informed that this night occurs in the last ten days. So those who have done Itikaaf with me should continue it into the last ten days because I was shown this night and then made to forget it (but as an indication) the morning after this night, I saw myself prostrating on mud. This being the case, search for this night during the odd nights of these last ten days.”

Rules And Regulations Of Itikaaf

1. The performance of Itikaaf during the last ten days of Ramadan is a sunnah muakkadah alal kifaya (a Sunnah which has to be observed by at least one person from the locality for its fulfillment, or else the entire locality will be sinful for negligence of this Sunnah).

2. Itikaaf should be done in a masjid where the five times daily prayers are held.

3. A woman can designate a place for salat in her house and observe Itikaaf there, and she will acquire the same reward as one performing Itikaaf in the masjid.

4. One should refrain from idle talk during Itikaaf.

5. One performing Itikaaf should not unnecessarily go outside the boundaries of the masjid, as this will nullify his Itikaaf.

6. One can go outside to answer the call of nature or for a necessary bath (e.g. because of a wet dream, etc). Similarly, if there is no one to bring food from home, one can go home to eat.

7. A person can go to perform Jumah prayer in another mosque if it is not held in the mosque in which he is observing Itikaaf. He will have to return as soon as he has completed his Jumah prayer.

8. If a person accidentally leaves the masjid in which he is observing Itikaaf, this will nullify his Itikaaf.

9. To indulge in unnecessary worldly activities during Itikaaf is makrooh-e-tahrimi (close to forbidden)

10. To remain completely silent during Itikaaf is not permissible. If one remains silent after zikr and recitation, this is fine. Remaining silent is not a form of worship.

11. The Sunnah of observing Itikaaf during the last ten days of Ramadan will only be fulfilled if the mutakif enters the masjid with the intention of Itikaaf before the sunset of the twentieth of Ramadan

12. Fasting is a prerequisite of Itikaaf. The nullification of the fast will result in the nullification of the Itikaaf.

13. The intention of Itikaaf can be made in the heart, but it is better to do it with the tongue.