- Islamic Fiqh / Rituals
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- Fasting (Siyam)
Ikhtilaf Al-Matale':
Dear believing brother, the topic of today is a main concern to most Muslims, and some of them are confused about it since it is related to Sawm. Scholars commented on what the Prophet PBUH said in the following Hadith:
((Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Observe Sawm (fast) on sighting the crescent and terminate it on sighting it (the new moon), but if the sky is cloudy before you, then complete the number (thirty days) of the month."))
"Observe Sawm" here is addressed to the group of Muslims, which means that all of them should observe Sawm upon seeing the new moon of Ramadan and should break their Sawm upon seeing the new moon of Shawwal.
This point moves us to a topic in Fiqh that is called "Ikhtilaf Al-Matale'", which is derived from the fact that the earth is spherical, and it spins around its axis, but at the same time it revolves around the sun, and while it is spinning, the sun rises on every spot on it at a time that is different from another spot. Thus, the different times of sunrise on earth are proved in reality and in religion.
Accordingly, every country has its own timing for the five prayers, for man might hear the Athan of Maghrib in one Muslim country (through the radio) half an hour before its time in his own country. As I have just mentioned the different times of sunrise are proved in reality and in religion. This fact has not been controversial among Muslims since the era of the Prophet PBUH and until the present day, for every country has its own times of prayers due to the different times of sunrise which differ from one country to another.
Observing the new moon clearly is the basis of starting Siam:
I would like to explain the revolving of the moon. The moon revolves around the earth in a period of time that is so close to the time the earth takes to spin around its axis. If the two times are exactly the same, the moon will stay in the same position without any changing, but since there is a little difference between the time of one round of the moon around the earth and the time of one spin of the earth around its axis, this gives us the different stages of the moon (just like the different times of sunrise).
As every country has its own timing of sunrise (for example the time of Fajr in Damascus is different from Beirut, Baghdad, Dilhi or china), also every country has its own timing of the new moon. However, the differences in sunrise result in different times of prayers from a country to another (and Muslims have never argued about that matter since the Prophet's era PBUH until our present day), whereas seeing the new moon is a condition the Prophet PBUH mentioned to start Ramadan.
Since all Muslims should observe Sawm, and spotting the new moon is a requisite in general, if one trusted man sees the new moon and his testimony is right, this is enough for all Muslims to start Sawm according to Hanafi School of Thought, "Seeing the new moon clearly is enough to start Sawm"
One thousand years ago, the Muslim world was extensive and there were no means to communicate, such as wireless, phones or the like, so when the people of Damascus saw the new moon of Ramadan, how could they tell the people of Iraq or the people of Morocco or North Africa?
In the absence of any media communication, every country starts Sawm upon its own observation of the new moon of Ramadan. As the Muslim world becomes one due to media, all Muslims should observe Sawm if any Islamic country spots the new moon, but this entails unity among the Islamic countries, so since every country has its own ruler, and every country has its own judge who is assigned to prove the observation of the new moon, man should follow the group of Muslims in his own country:
((Narrated Abu Hurairah: The Prophet (PBUH) said: The end of Ramadan is on the day when you end it, and the 'Id (festival) of sacrifice is on the day when you sacrifice. The whole of Arafah is the place of staying, and the whole of Mina is the place of sacrifice, and all the roads of Makkah are the place of sacrifice, and the whole of Muzdalifah is the place of staying.))
Man should follow the country he lives in, because the ruler of this country appointed a judge for that reason, and if there are clouds in the sky, we should follow the instructions of the Prophet PBUH in such a case:
((… but if the sky is cloudy before you, then complete the number (thirty days) of the month.))
This is the religious ruling on this matter. Then Sawm starts the next day after the day 30th of Sha'baan.
We should consider some rulings, and keep in mind that whatever scholars agreed upon is decisive evidence, and whatever they disagree upon, and it lead to having different opinions, is great mercy upon Muslims.
I would like to repeat again, when the Muslim world is one, and when communication between its countries is not possible, every country observes Sawm according to their observation of the new moon of Ramadan, so they start Sawm upon seeing it, and they break their fasting upon observing the new moon of Shawwal. If the Islamic countries are united and communication means are available, it is preferable that Muslims start Sawm simultaneously, and this is what we all aspire for one day. Either way the Prophet PBUH ordered us to follow the group of Muslims and to start Sawm when the ruler and the judge of the country prove the observation of the new moon of Ramadan. Hence, no Muslim should start Sawm on his own without a religious poof of observing the new moon of Ramadan. This is what our topic is all about in brief, but it is a religious ruling that the decision of the ruler puts an end to any disagreements, and when it is not decided yet by the government that Ramadan is today, for example, there shall be no disagreement, because you are a Muslim who belongs to the group of believers, and you have a ruler and a judge who are responsible for taking the responsibility of this mission (proving the observation of the new moon of Ramadan) and the announcement of it. Thus, you are a member in this society which applies religious rulings. This is the main point in concise.
A Muslim should follow his country in starting and breaking his Siam:
Why observing the new moon is crucial in Sawm Ramadan? It is so because, as I mentioned earlier, communicating between different Islamic states might be difficult. Besides, the Islamic states might be far from one another, which is an important reason; each one of them is on a different latitudes, and this results in real Ikhtilaf Al-Matale', but if the Islamic states are far from one another on different longitudes, then Ikhtilaf Al-Matale' is not real, because when the earth spins around its axis and the moon revolves around the earth that makes all longitudes as one, whereas the latitudes gives different sightings of the moon. Thus, the new moon of Ramadan is seen in India but it is not seen in Morocco.
Some scholars said, "If two countries have the same night, this means they have the same sightings of the new moon, but if day and night differs from one country to another (it is night in one of them, and it is daylight in the other), this means that they have different Matale' for sure." Nevertheless, some scholars consider the different latitudes and sh3er do not, but in either ways whatever the scholars agreed upon is considered decisive evidence (should be taken by all Muslims), and whatever they disagree upon is out of great mercy upon Muslims. Hence, the Muslim should follow the group of Muslims in starting fasting in Ramadan and in ending it, for he belongs to the Islamic society in all his conditions and religious matters.
Some scholars commented on the following Ayah:
﴾The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Saum (fasts) that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Saum (fasts) must be made up] from other days. Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allah [i.e. to say Takbir (Allahu-Akbar; Allah is the Most Great) on seeing the crescent of the months of Ramadan and Shawwal] for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him.﴿
They said, "Some Muslims might misinterpret "whoever of you sights the month", thinking that sighting here refers to observing the new moon of Ramadan, which is incorrect, for the correct interpretation is that it refers to reaching Ramadan while the Muslim is settled in his country, among his family, he is assigned to Sawm, he is healthy and he is informed of sighting the new moon of Ramadan (by his government). In this case it is an obligation on him to start fasting."
Al-I'tikaf:
Let us move to the topic of I'tikaf. Many brother ask about the Islamic ruling on I'tikaf in Islam. I'tikaf is linguistically is to devote oneself to something and compel the self to it, whether it is a good or evil thing. By the way, with regard to all Fiqh (jurisprudence) matters, scholars always start by defining the terms linguistically speaking. When Allah says:
﴾"What are these images, to which you are devoted?﴿
"A'kifoon" (devoted) here means that they were devoted to these idols and they compelled themselves to worship them (idols are evil thing). Allah says:
﴾ And do not have sexual relations with them (your wives) while you are in I'tikaf (i.e. confining oneself in a mosque for prayers and invocations leaving the worldly activities) in the mosques. ﴿
I'tikaf that is mentioned in this Ayah refers to the religious meaning of I'tikaf; it is to confine oneself in a Masjid for prayers and invocations leaving the worldly activities for the sake of drawing close to Allah the Almighty. One might say, "This religious practice is not commonly seen in Masajid", but when I intended to discuss this topic, I meant to reach the gist of it, and its gist is to break away from all mundane sentiments in Ramadan and to offer worship, reciting the Quran and drawing close to Allah abundantly. All scholars agreed that I'tikaf is Mashroo' (permissible), for the Prophet PBUH used to offer I'tikaf during the last ten days of Ramadan:
((Abu Hurairah said: The Prophet used to perform Itikaf every year in the month of Ramadan for ten days, and when it was the year of his death, he stayed in Itikaf for twenty days.))
This is what the Prophet PBUH used to do in the last ten days of Ramadan. Hence, according to this Hadith, it is recommended to take the chance and free one's self from any business during the last ten days of Ramadan, and offer I'tikaf in Masjid if this is possible. Also, man might offer it at home after staying away from daily concerns which might distract him.
I want to make things as easy as possible to you regarding I'tikaf. If you are self employed and you are not obliged to go to work daily, then you can take these 10 days off in order to offer I'tikaf in Masjid which is the most perfect thing. However, if you cannot leave your work, then you can offer I'tikaf at home which is very good as well, provided you lessen the matters which might disturb you during the last ten days of Ramadan.
Different kinds of I'tikaf:
I'tikaf according to scholars' categorization is of two kinds, Sunnah and Wajib (mandatory), but in some Fiqh books it is categorized into three kinds: Sunnah, Mustahab (preferable) and Wajib (mandatory). As for I'tikaf As-Sunnah, it is offered voluntarily by the Muslim to draw closer to Allah the Almighty seeking by it His Reward and following the steps of the Prophet PBUH.
This kind of I'tikaf (i.e. The Sunnah one) is more desirable to be offered during the last ten days of Ramadan as aforementioned, but concerning Al-I'tikaf Al-Wajib (the Mandatory one) it is when man makes a vow to offer it for few days in any Masjid or in Al-Masjid Al-Haram or in Al-Masjid An-Nabawi (the Masjid of the Prophet PBUH). Accordingly, whoever takes a vow anytime to offer I'tikaf for few days in a specific Masjid is obliged to offer this I'tikaf, but if his vow is related to a specific incident, like when he says, "I will offer I'tikaf if Allah cures my patient", it will not become an obligation until this patient is cured.
((It was narrated from A'ishah that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "Whoever vows to obey Allah, let him obey Him, and whoever vows to disobey Allah, let him not disobey Him."))
Also, the Prophet PBUH said:
((Narrated Ibn 'Umar: 'Umar asked the Prophet (PBUH) "I vowed in the Pre-Islamic period of ignorance to stay in I'tikaf for one night in Al-Masjid al-Haram." The Prophet (PBUH) said to him, "Fulfill your vow."))
Duration of I'tikaf:
The duration of I'tikaf depends on man's vow, so if he takes a vow to offer I'tikaf for one day or more, it becomes an obligation on him. As for I'tikaf Al-Mustahab, it has no specific time, for it is offered by staying in the Masjid with the intention of offering I'tikaf regardless the duration of time, and in this case, it is preferable that whenever one enters the Masjid and stays in it intending to offer I'tikaf, it is counted as I'tikaf, and he will be rewarded as long as he is staying in the Masjid, but when he gets out of the Masjid, I'tikaf will be over, and he should renew his intention if he intends to enter the Masjid again for I'tikaf. Hence, even this religious session which lasts for one hour or more is considered as I'tikaf (if you intend so), because you left all worldly concerns behind and you came here to learn about your religion from the Prophetic Sunnah and from the biography of notable followers of companions (Tabi'een), or to learn Fiqh rulings, so this is I'tikaf and it is Mustahab.
The one who offers I'tikaf is at liberty to break it whenever he wishes even before fulfilling the duration he specifies in his intention.
((A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that when the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) decided to observe i'tikaf, he prayed in the morning and then went to the place of his i'tikaf, and he commanded that a tent should be pitched for him, and it was pitched. He (once) decided to observe i'tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan. Zainab (the wife of the Holy Prophet) commanded that a tent should be pitched for her. It was pitched accordingly. And some other wives of Allah's Apostle (PBUH) commanded that tents should be pitched for them too. And they were pitched. When the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) offered the Morning Prayer, he looked and found (so many) tents. Thereupon he said: What is this virtue that these (ladies) have decided to acquire? He commanded his tent to be struck and abandoned i'tikaf in the month of Ramadan and postponed it to the first ten days of Shawwal.))
Tent is used to be pitched for him, but it seems that the Prophet PBUH was not delighted with that sort of competition among Muslim ladies, so he commanded his tent and his wives' tents to be struck, and he postponed I'tikaf of the last ten days of Ramadan until the last ten days of Shawwal, so he left his I'tikaf after intending to, which is strong evidence that I'tikaf can be cut short after starting it. Also, the man can prevent his wife from I'tikaf without getting his permission, and all scholars agreed upon this.
Perquisites and pillars of I'tikaf:
Let us move to the prerequisites (Shuroot) of I'tikaf: the one who offers I'tikaf should be a Muslim, should pass puberty, should be pure of Janabah (Janabah is to be impure due to sexual intercourse or seminal discharge" (if he is a man) and from Haid and Nafas "menstruation and postnatal bleeding" (if she was a woman).). Thus, I'tikaf is not accepted from the Kafir, the boy, the Junub (impure), the Ha'id (woman in menstruation) and the Nafsa' (woman who has postnatal bleeding).
Regarding the Arkan of Al-I'tikaf (pillars of I'tikaf): the main Rukn (singular of Arkan) is that I'tikaf should be offered in Masjid with the intention of drawing close to Allah, so if it is not offered in Masjid, or if it is not offered to draw close to Allah, it is not considered I'tikaf. The second Rukn is the intention due to the following Ayah:
﴾ And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allah, and worship none but Him Alone (abstaining from ascribing partners to Him), and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat) and give Zakat: and that is the right religion.﴿
There is a reference to this Rukn in the following Hadith:
(('Umar bin Al Khattab reported the Apostle of Allaah (PBUH) as saying "Actions are to be judged only by intentions and a man will have only what he intended. When one's emigration is to Allaah and His Apostle, his emigration is to Allaah and His Apostle but his emigration is to a worldly end at which he aims or to a woman whom he marries, his emigration is to that for which he emigrated.))
I'tikaf should be offered in Masjid due to the following Ayah:
﴾Then complete your Saum (fast) till the nightfall. And do not have sexual relations with them (your wives) while you are in I'tikaf (i.e. confining oneself in a mosque for prayers and invocations leaving the worldly activities) in the mosques. These are the limits (set) by Allah, so approach them not.﴿
Therefore, I'tikaf should be offered in Masjid.
I would like to repeat, Arkan Al-I'tikaf are: man should have the intention, he should stay for a period of time, and he should offer it in the Masjid. Scholars have disagreement about the kind of Masjid that man should offer I'tikaf in. Some of them said, "It should be in Al-Masjid Al-Jame', which means it should be offered in the Masjid wherein the five prayers and the Friday prayer are offered, whereas there are Masajid wherein only the five prayers are offered, and these kinds of Masajid usually have no Imam and no Mu'athin, so it is called "Musalla" (place for prayers). Other scholars said, "I'tikaf can be offered in any kind of Masjid (even in Musalla).
Siam of the Mu'takif (the one in a state of I'tikaf):
As for the fasting of the one who offers I'tikaf, if he does, then it is good, and if he does not it is fine as well, but what I'tikaf I am talking about here? It is I'tikaf Al-Wajib; when man makes a vow whether related to a specific reason, or it is vowed for no particular reason. The other two kinds of I'tikaf are I'tikaf Al-Mustahab and I'tikaf As-Sunnah, and the latter is offered during the last ten days of Ramadan, so you are already fasting.
As for offering Sawm in I'tikaf Al-Mustahab and I'tikaf Al-Wajib, it was reported by Al-Bukhari that Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with both of them, said:
(("I vowed in the Pre-Islamic period of ignorance to stay in I'tikaf for one night in Al-Masjid al-Haram (the Sacred Masjid)." The Prophet (PBUH) said to him, "Fulfill your vow."))))
Accordingly, he should fulfill his vow, but Sawm is not a pre-requisite for the validity of I'tikaf. Therefore, whenever you enter the Masjid, and you intend to offer I'tikaf in it, it is allowed for you to do all kinds of religious matters like reciting the Quran, teaching people the Quran, reading a religious book of Sunnah, of the interpretation of Quran, of Hadith, of Fiqh or of Sirah (Prophetic biography), remembering Allah alone, enjoining Ma'roof or any other deed meant through it acquiring Allah's Pleasure.
Sa'id bin Mansoor narrated that Sahl said, "My wife made a vow of I'tikaf, so I asked Umar bin Abdul Aziz about it, and he said, "She does not have to offer Sawm unless she made a vow to offer it" and this opinion was given by sh3er like the Tabi'ee Tawoos and Ata' bin Rabah. Al-Hasan Al-Basri said regarding this matter, "Whoever offers I'tikaf without Sawm it suffices him", and this is the opinion of Ash-Shafi'i. Also, it is reported that Ali and Ibn Mas'ood said, "Man is at liberty to offer Sawm or not"; of course during I'tikaf.
Desirable matters in I'tikaf:
As for I'tikaf Al-Mustahab, it can be offered any day during the year and the same goes for I'tikaf Al-Wajib. The Prophet PBUH said:
((A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated, "Whenever the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) intended to make I'tikaf he would pray the morning prayer and then he would enter the place of his I'tikaf (i.e. the place, which he had prepared for his I'tikaf inside the Masjid)."))
This means that the Prophet PBUH used to enter the place he prepared for his I'tikaf in Al-Masjid, and regarding the time of starting his I'tikaf, he used to go in when the night is young. It is Mustahab to the one who offers I'tikaf to abound the Sunan of worship, to pray, to remember Allah, to do Athkaar (the remembrance of Allah), to offer Tahlil (saying La Ilaha Ilalah [There is no Deity worthy of worship but Allah Alone]), Takbir (Saying Allahu Akbar [Allah is the Greatest]), Tahmid (Saying Ahumdulillah [Praise be to Allah]) and Tasbeeh (Saying Subhan'Allah [Glory be to Allah]) and to reauthor the Quran.
The one who offers I'tikaf should keep himself busy with prayers, reciting the Quran, Tasbeeh, Tahmid, Tahlil, Takbeer, Istighfar (Saying Astaghfiru Allah [I ask for Allah's forgiveness]) and Salah ala An-Nabi (sending prayers upon the Prophet PBUH) and the like of acts of worship which draw man closer to Allah the Almighty and help him establish a connection with his Creator. Moreover, acquiring religious knowledge is part of the acts that can be done during I'tikaf like reading the interpretation of the Quran, the Hadith, the Prophetic biography, the biography of the righteous Muslims and Prophets, peace be upon him, and other books of Fiqh and religious knowledge.
Hateful matters in I'tikaf:
It is hateful for the one who is offering I'tikaf to mind sh3er' business in his words and actions.
((Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "A sign of man's good observance of Islam (his piety) is to keep away from that which does not concern him."))
It is hateful for the one who is offering I'tikaf to abstain from talking assuming that doing so might draw him closer to Allah:
((Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: While the Prophet (PBUH) was preaching a man was standing in the sun. He asked about him. They said: He is Abu Isra'il who has taken a vow to stand and not to sit, or go into shade, or speak, but to fast. Thereupon he said: Command him to speak, to go into the shade, sit and complete his fast.))
((Narrated Ali ibn Abu Talib: I memorised (a tradition) from the Messenger of Allah (PBUH): There is no orphanhood after puberty, and there is no silence for the whole day till the night.))
If someone in his forties, and he lost one of his parents, he is not considered an orphan anymore at that age.
((Safiyyah said: When the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was observing I'tikaf (in the Masjid), I would come to him to visit him. I had a talk with him and then stood up. I then returned and he (the Prophet) also stood up to accompany me (to my house). Her dwelling place was in the house of Usamah b. Zaid. Two men from the Ansar (helpers) passed (by him at the moment). When they saw the Prophet (PBUH), they walked quickly. The Prophet (PBUH) said: Be at ease, she is Safiyyah daughter of Huyayy. They said: Be glory to Allah, Messenger of Allah! He said: Satan runs in man like blood. I feared he might inspire something in your mind, or he said: evil (the narrator doubted).
They might think to themselves, "Who is the woman the Prophet PBUH is with?" The Prophet PBUH was keen on the cleanness of his companions' hearts. It is reported in the relic that the Prophet PBUH said, "May Allah have Mercy on a servant who avoids gossips." Our master Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Do not put yourself in suspicious situations and then blame people for accusing you of bad things." It is also said, "Declaration wards off evil thoughts"
As for Imam Ash-Shafi'i, he commented on the previous Hadith saying, "The Prophet PBUH had mercy on his companions when he prevent them from having ill-thoughts about him and becoming Kuffar du to that, so he informed them in order not to be doomed."
Every Muslim and believer is most likely righteous, pure, chaste and upright, but his noble traits cannot ward off people's suspicions. Therefore, if someone owns a store and his sister pays him a visit and he welcomes her warmly before his friend, he should tell him that this is his sister in order to stop any doubts his friend may have. It is out of man's sound Islam to push away any ill thoughts other people might have about him, and as I have just mentioned, "Declaration wards off evil thoughts"
Imam Ash-Shafi'i added to what he said before, "Do the same when you find yourself in the same situation." If you are, for example, in a place where there are lots of coats hanged on the hangers, and you reach out to take something out of your coat and someone sees you, tell him immediately that this is your coat, or that it is your friend's coat, and he asked you to bring him his pen from it, so that this man will not have ill-thoughts about you. Be as transparent as possible in all your moves and stills. The Prophet PBUH said:
((It was narrated from 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Amr As-Sulami that: He heard Al-'Irbad bin Sariyah say: "The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) delivered a moving speech to us which made our eyes flow with tears and made our hearts melt. We said: 'O Messenger of Allah. This is a speech of farewell. What did you enjoin upon us?' He said: 'I am leaving you upon a (path of) brightness whose night is like its day. No one will deviate from it after I am gone but one who is doomed.))
Permissible matters for the Mu'takif:
One more thing: scholars allowed the one who offers I'tikaf to get out of his place for urgencies, like giving his wife a lift home. This indicates that man should always accompany his family members to the place they want to go to in order to protect them from street perils. Scholars said that whoever offers I'tikaf can comb hair, have a haircut, trim his nails, clean his body from its dirtiness, put on the best clothes and wear perfume.
((A'ishah said: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to observe I'tikaf in the mosque and put his head near me through the opening of the apartment, and I would wash his head. Musaddad said: "And I would comb it while I was menstruating."))
This means that the Prophet PBUH used to come out of his I'tikaf place to wash his head or body or to relieve himself.
Relieving yourself whilst you are offering I'tikaf is unavoidable, so it is permitted according to scholars. Hence, man can go out of the Masjid during I'tikaf to his house in order to relieve himself, to eat, to drink water or to help whoever seeks his help inside the Masjid. Of course we are talking here about Al-I'tikaf Al-Mustahab and Al-I'tikaf Al-Wajib, and this will not nullify his I'tikaf unless it takes too long or he gets involved in something that contradicts I'tikaf like buying a house, making a deal or going for a picnic; in such cases his I'tikaf will be nullified.
It is narrated that Sa'id bin Mansour said that Ali bin Abi Talib said, "If man is offering I'tikaf, he should attend Friday prayer, attend congregation prayer, visit the ill person and meet his family's needs. Also, he is allowed to eat, drink and sleep in the Masjid provided that he keeps it clean and highly maintained. In addition, he is permitted to sign his marriage contract in the Masjid (during his I'tikaf) which pleases Allah the Almighty." Hence, any good deed you are assigned to do will never contradict your I'tikaf, but getting out of the Masjid without any need and doing that on purpose will nullify I'tikaf even if it is for a short time, because one of Arkan Al-I'tikaf will be missing.
Whoever makes a vow to offer I'tikaf, but then he breaks it should offer it as Qada':
Whoever makes a vow to offer I'tikaf for one day or more, and after starting it he nullifiesit, he should offer it as Qada' (due I'tikaf) whenever he can. All scholars agreed upon this opinion. In fact, every Nafl (Sunnah act of worship) that you start then it is nullified for a reason or another, should be offered as Qada', and this is a general ruling in Fiqh al-Ibadat (the acts of worship).
Whoever makes a vow to offer I'tikaf in Al-Masjid Al-Haram, in Al-Masjid An-Nabawi or in Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, should fulfill his vow in the exact Masjid he specifies according to the following Hadith:
((Qaza'ah reported: I heard a Hadith from Abu Sa'id (may Allah be pleased with him) and it impressed me (very much), so I said to him: Did you hear it (yourself) from Allah's Messenger (PBUH)? Thereupon he said: (Can) I speak of anything about Allah's Messenger (PBUH) which I did not bear? He said: I heard Allah's Messenger (PBUH) saying: Do not set out on a journey (for religious devotion) but for the three Masajid; for this Masjid of mine (at Medinah), Al-Masjid al-Haram (at Makkah) and Al-Masjid al-Aqsa (Bait al-Maqdis).))
Some people misinterpret this Hadith and assume that man should not travel anywhere but to these three places, which is wrong. The Hadith means that if you want to travel to a Masjid, only these three Masajid are the ones which worth traveling to, and the rest of Masajid on earth are the same. If someone makes a vow to offer I'tikaf in a Masjid in Aleppo, he can fulfill his vow by offering I'tikaf in a Masjid in Damascus or Aleppo for they are alike reward-wise. However, if man longs for an abundant reward, then he travels only to the three Masajid which are mentioned in the previous Hadith, but he makes a vow to offer I'tikaf in other than these three Masajid, then he can offer it in any Masjid. The Prophet PBUH said:
((Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated It directly from Allah's Apostle' (PBUH) having said this: A prayer in my Masjid is a thousand times more excellent than a prayer in any other Masjid, except Masjid al-Haram (Masjid of the Ka'bah).))
Whoever makes a vow to offer I'tikaf in Al-Masjid An-Nabawi is allowed to offer it in Al-Masjid Al-Haram, because the latter is better.
I will wrap up this topic by referring to the following Hadith wherein the Prophet PBUH said:
((That I walk with a brother regarding a need is more beloved to me than that I seclude myself in this mosque in Medina for a month.))
Ali the son of Al-Husain:
Let us start with the story of one of At-Tabi'een (followers of the companions), whose name is Ali Ibn Al-Husain Ibn Ali bin Abi Talib the cousin of the Prophet PBUH. He was still a boy when he became fond of Islamic knowledge, and he sought it passionately. His first school was his home, and how honorable that home was! His first teacher was his father Al-Husain bin Ali, and how great that teacher was!
His second school was Al-Masjid An-Nabawi. In fact, man should make his house a school too and talk with his children from time to time about their religion, the Quran and the Hadith, and he should instruct them according to Islam in their life, relations, settlement and travel. This young man sought the religious knowledge (at his home) before going to any other resources.
At that time, there were still waves of companions in Al-Masjid An-Nabawi, and the next generation of At-Tabi'een, and they would open their hearts to the children of the companions by teaching them the Quran, the Fiqh and the Prophetic biography, and they would tell them all the morals that can be deduced. They used to read to them the biography of the best Prophet PBUH, in addition to teaching them the Arabic poetry and pointing out to them its aesthetics. They used to fill the hearts of those children with the love to Allah and fear of Him. They were devoted scholars and guided Du'aat (callers) to Allah.
The heart of Ali bin Al-Husain never clang to anything more than to the Book of Allah the Almighty (i.e. Quran). It was the spring of his heart; his conscience was touched by Allah's Promises and Menaces, so whenever he read an Ayah wherein Paradise was mentioned, his heart would rejoice and long to it, and whenever he read an Ayah wherein Hellfire was mentioned, he would let out a deep breath as if it was a flame of Hell that was coming out of his chest.
When Ali became a man in the full meaning of the word, he was a precious adding to the society, for he was the most devoted young man amongst Bani Hashim's men in offering the acts of worship and in his fear of Allah. Furthermore, he acquired exalted conducts and morals, he was generous and benevolent, and he was the most knowledgeable among all his equals in age. His extreme devotion and fear of Allah made him quiver between his Wudu and Salah, and his body would tremble severely, and when he was asked about that condition, he said, "Do you not know before Whom I am about to stand? Do you not know Whom I am talking to secretly?" This quivering between his Wudu and Salah is the outcome of his extreme fear of Allah.
His devotion to the acts of worship and his perfect performance of them made people give him the nick name "Zain Al-Abideen" (the best among worshipers), and this description they gave him became part of his name: Ali bin Al-Husain Zain Al-Abideen until people forgot his original name and called him only Zain Al-Abideen. He used to take very long time during prostration, so the people of Madinah called him "As-Sajjad" (the one who offers Sujood abundantly). Because his soul was very transparent, and his heart was very pure, people called him "Az-Zaki" (the purest).
Zain Al-Abideen realized that Du'a (supplication) is the essence of worship, so he used to make Du'a mostly close to the Ka'bah while he was hanging to its cover, and he used to say, "O Lord, you made me taste your Mercy and you bestowed upon me Your Graces until I became making Du'a feeling secured and not scared and feeling affable with You without any fear, so Lord I invoke you like the one who is ill and yearns for Your Mercy, and who is so weak to pay his dues, so Lord I beg and implore You to accept my Du'a like You accept the Du'a of the drowning stranger who can find no one to his rescue but You, O You the most Benevolent above all other Benevolent." I ran into a booklet of the supplications of this notable Tabi'ee, and they are outstanding and breathtaking.
One of the outstanding stands of Zain Al-Abideen:
Ta'woos bin Kaisan saw him once standing in the shadow of the Old House (Ka'bah) restless though he was sound, weeping like an ill person and invoking Allah like the one who was in dire need of something, so he stood by, waiting for him until he finished weeping and supplicating. Then, he approached him and said, "O son of the Prophet PBUH, I saw you in a condition wherein you invoked Allah a lot despite the fact that you favor all people by three things that might protect you from any fear." Zain Al-Abideen said, "What are these three things, O Ta'woos?" The latter said, "First, you are the grandson of the Prophet PBUH from his daughter Fatimah, second you are granted the intercession of your grandfather (i.e. the Prophet PBUH) and third you are granted Allah's Mercy." To which Zain Al-Abideen said, "O Ta'woos, as for being the grandson of the Prophet PBUH, this will not save me since Allah the Almighty says in this Ayah, 'Then, when the Trumpet is blown, there will be no kinship among them that Day, nor will they ask of one another.' [Al-Mu'minun, 101]. As for my grandfather's intercession, the Word of Allah is above anything, for He says, 'He knows what is before them, and what is behind them, and they cannot intercede except for him with whom He is pleased. And they stand in awe for fear of Him.' [Al-Anbiya', 28], and as for Allah's Mercy, Allah says, 'And do not do mischief on the earth, after it has been set in order, and invoke Him with fear and hope; Surely, Allah's Mercy is (ever) near unto the good-doers.' [Al-A'raf, 56]."
Honorable stances of by Zain Al-Abideen:
His piousness made him acquire very exalted traits and attired him loftiness, virtue and forbearance, and the books of biography are filled with his marvelous news and their pages are adorned by his noble stances.
Among his stances is what was narrated by Al-Hasan the son of Al-Hasan, who said, "Once, there was an estrangement between me and my cousin Zain Al--Abideen, so I went to him while he was among his companions in the Masjid, and I said to him all sorts of things, but he kept silent without saying any word, and then I left. When night came there was a knock on my door, and as I went to see who was there, and when I opened the door, I found Zain Al-Abideen, so I was very sure that he came to hurt me as I hurt him earlier that day, but he said, "O brother, if you were truthful in what you said, so I ask for Allah's Forgiveness, and if you were not, I ask Allah to Forgive you." This was how notable Tabi'een used to treat other people. If a brother of yours said a harsh word to you or accuse you of anything try to say the same to him, "If you are truthful in what you said, may Allah forgive me and if you are not, then may Allah forgive you". Let us go on, "Then Zain Al-Abideen greeted me and took off, so I followed him and said, 'I will never do such a thing, so please forget what I said'."
A man from Madinah once said, "Zain Al-Abideen was out of the Masjid once, so I followed him, and without any particular reason, I started badmouthing him, so people attacked me, and had they got me I would have been hurt badly, so Zain Al-Abideen turned to people and said, 'Leave him alone', so they left me alone, and after he saw how frightened I was, he approached me with a delightful face and started pacifying me, and then he said, "You called me names of what you have known of me, and what is hidden is even greater", and he said, "Do you have any need that I can meet for you?" I was very embarrassed and said nothing, and when he saw how shameful I was, he took off his garment and gave it to me then he gave me 1000 Dirham, and I kept repeating what I said after that, "I bear witness that you are one of the offspring of the Prophet PBUH."
One of Al-Mawali (slaves) of Zain Al-Abideen said, "I used to serve Ali Ibn Al-Husain, so he sent me once to bring him something, and I took too long, so he hit me on my shoulder with the whip, which made me say to him, "What a reaction, O Ali Ibn Al-Husain, you send me to bring something and when I do you hit Me!" At that point Ali wept and said to me, "Go to Al-Masjid An-Nabawi, offer two Rak'at and say in your prostration, "O Allah forgive Ali Ibn Al-Husain", and if you do so, you are no more slave of mine; you are free for the sake of Allah", so I went to Al-Masjid An-Nabawi and did as he instructed me, and I did not come back to him but as a free man."
This notable Tabi'ee used to hold flour bags on his thin shoulder at night and go out whilst people were asleep, and he used to wander in Madinah to give the flour as Sadaqah to the needy. Those people did not ask or beg other people at all, so he provided lots of people with their provision without letting them know where that flour came from. When he died, they missed that provision, so they knew then who donated it. Also, when he died, those who were about to wash his body looked at his back, and they found black scars on it, and upon wondering about the reason, they were told that they were due to holding the flour bags every night. Unfortunately, after he died, 100 families missed that provision.
Zain Al-Abideen bin Ali was like the shining moon:
When Hisham bin Abdul Malik was the crown prince he was about to offer Tawaf (circumambulating the Ka'bah) and to kiss the Black Stone, at that moment, the bodyguards of Hisham started to tell people that Hisham was there, and they asked people to make a path for Hisham, but no one gave any importance to the man or gave a path to him, for that was the House of Allah and all people at His House were alike and slaves to Him only. At that point, sounds of Tahlil and Takbir coming from a distance were heard, so people stretched their necks to see who was coming, and they saw a man with so many people around him, his face was like the moon, his body was thin and he showed loftiness and tranquility walking in his Ihram two white cloths and there was a mark on his forehead due to Sujood, so people started to make path for him and they lined in rows welcoming him with love and passion until he reached the Black Stone and kissed it.
One of the guards of Hisham said to Hisham bin Abdul Malik, "Who is this man who people honor that much?" Hisham said, "I do not know him", then the poet Al-Farazdaq who happened to be there overheard what they said, so he answered, "If Hisham do not know him, I know him, so are the rest of people. This is Ali Ibn al-Husain, may Allah be pleased with him, with his father and with his grandfather." Then, he said the following lines of poetry:
This is whose footprint is known to the valley of Makkah
He whom the Ka'bah knows and the most frequented sanctuary
This is the son of the best of all the servants of Allah
This is the pious, the elect, the pure and the eminent.
This is the son of Fatimah, if you are ignorant of him
and with his great-grandfather the Prophethood came to an end.
What you say will never harm him
For Arabs and non-Arabs knew whom you deny
His both hands are aids with prevailing benefits
Donating and never stop giving
He is easygoing and is not someone who is feared
Two things adorned him: his good conducts and traits
He never said "No" except in Tashahud
Had it not been for Tashahud his "No" would have become yes
He filled the world with benevolence due to which
hypocrisy, darkness and meaninglessness disappeared
Had Quraish seen him they would have said
This generosity is unmatchable
He lowers his gaze out of humbleness and due to his eminence
no one would say a word to him unless he smiles
He holds in his hand a fragrant cane
and in his face there is loftiness
derived from the Prophet's loftiness
How good are his character and his disposition!
This is the notable Tabi'ee Zain Al-Abideen, to whom people gave path in Al-Masjid Al–Haram, to whom people lined in rows, who was given space and who looked like a shining moon among those who were with him. I would like to remind you at the end of this biography that the gates of heroism are open from now until the Day of Resurrection. Allah says:
﴾ The last thereof (that wine) will be the smell of musk, and for this let (all) those strive who want to strive (i.e. hasten earnestly to the obedience of Allah). ﴿
