7/65. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 1779 — Avoiding Doubt During I'tikaf
The person observing I`tikaf may be visited by his family in the mosque
Safiyyah Visit During I'tikaf Hadith
Sunan Ibn Majah : 1779
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 1779
حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْمُنْذِرِ الْحِزَامِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عُمَرَ بْنِ مُوسَى بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَعْمَرٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ، عَنْ صَفِيَّةَ بِنْتِ حُيَىٍّ، زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ أَنَّهَا جَاءَتْ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ تَزُورُهُ وَهُوَ مُعْتَكِفٌ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فِي الْعَشْرِ الأَوَاخِرِ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ فَتَحَدَّثَتْ عِنْدَهُ سَاعَةً مِنَ الْعِشَاءِ ثُمَّ قَامَتْ تَنْقَلِبُ فَقَامَ مَعَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يَقْلِبُهَا حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَتْ بَابَ الْمَسْجِدِ الَّذِي كَانَ عِنْدَ مَسْكَنِ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ مَرَّ بِهِمَا رَجُلاَنِ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فَسَلَّمَا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ ثُمَّ نَفَذَا فَقَالَ لَهُمَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " عَلَى رِسْلِكُمَا إِنَّهَا صَفِيَّةُ بِنْتُ حُيَىٍّ " . قَالاَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَكَبُرَ عَلَيْهِمَا ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَجْرِي مِنِ ابْنِ آدَمَ مَجْرَى الدَّمِ وَإِنِّي خَشِيتُ أَنْ يَقْذِفَ فِي قُلُوبِكُمَا شَيْئًا " .
Safiyyah bint Huyai Narrated from:
She came to visit the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when he was in I’tikaf during the last ten days of the month of Ramadan. She spoke with him for a while during the evening, then she stood up to go back. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) got up to take her home.When she reached the door of the mosque that was by the home of Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet (ﷺ), two men from among the Ansar passed by them. They greeted the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with peace, then went away. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Take it easy, she is Safiyyah bint Huyai.” They said: “Glorious is Allah, O Messenger of Allah!” And they were very upset by that (i.e., that he thought they may have some doubts). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “The Satan flows through the son of Adam like blood, and I was afraid that he might cast some doubt into your hearts.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 1779In-book reference : Book 7, Hadith 142English translation : Vol. 1, Book 7, Hadith 1779
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 1779
This Safiyyah visit during I'tikaf hadith teaches care in avoiding doubt. Safiyyah, the wife of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, visited him while he was in I'tikaf during the last ten days of Ramadan. She spoke with him in the evening, then stood to leave, and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم got up to take her home. When two men from the Ansar passed by, he told them to take it easy and said that she was Safiyyah bint Huyai. They felt upset that such clarification was needed. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم then explained that Satan flows through the son of Adam like blood, and he feared that doubt might be cast into their hearts. The hadith teaches clean conduct and clear speech.
What we learn from this hadith
- Safiyyah visited the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم during his I'tikaf.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم accompanied her when she went back.
- He clarified her identity to prevent possible doubt.
- The hadith warns that Satan may cast suspicion into hearts.
