13/40. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1167c — Seeking Laylatul Qadr Through I'tikaf
The virtue of Lailat Al-Qadr and the Exhortation to seek it; When it is and the most likely times to seek it
Seeking Laylatul Qadr Through I'tikaf
Sahih Muslim : 1167c
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1167c
وَحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى، حَدَّثَنَا الْمُعْتَمِرُ، حَدَّثَنَا عُمَارَةُ بْنُ غَزِيَّةَ الأَنْصَارِيُّ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، - رضى الله عنه - قَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم اعْتَكَفَ الْعَشْرَ الأَوَّلَ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ ثُمَّ اعْتَكَفَ الْعَشْرَ الأَوْسَطَ فِي قُبَّةٍ تُرْكِيَّةٍ عَلَى سُدَّتِهَا حَصِيرٌ - قَالَ - فَأَخَذَ الْحَصِيرَ بِيَدِهِ فَنَحَّاهَا فِي نَاحِيَةِ الْقُبَّةِ ثُمَّ أَطْلَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَكَلَّمَ النَّاسَ فَدَنَوْا مِنْهُ فَقَالَ " إِنِّي اعْتَكَفْتُ الْعَشْرَ الأَوَّلَ أَلْتَمِسُ هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةَ ثُمَّ اعْتَكَفْتُ الْعَشْرَ الأَوْسَطَ ثُمَّ أُتِيتُ فَقِيلَ لِي إِنَّهَا فِي الْعَشْرِ الأَوَاخِرِ فَمَنْ أَحَبَّ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَعْتَكِفَ فَلْيَعْتَكِفْ " . فَاعْتَكَفَ النَّاسُ مَعَهُ قَالَ " وَإِنِّي أُرِيتُهَا لَيْلَةَ وِتْرٍ وَأَنِّي أَسْجُدُ صَبِيحَتَهَا فِي طِينٍ وَمَاءٍ " . فَأَصْبَحَ مِنْ لَيْلَةِ إِحْدَى وَعِشْرِينَ وَقَدْ قَامَ إِلَى الصُّبْحِ فَمَطَرَتِ السَّمَاءُ فَوَكَفَ الْمَسْجِدُ فَأَبْصَرْتُ الطِّينَ وَالْمَاءَ فَخَرَجَ حِينَ فَرَغَ مِنْ صَلاَةِ الصُّبْحِ وَجَبِينُهُ وَرَوْثَةُ أَنْفِهِ فِيهِمَا الطِّينُ وَالْمَاءُ وَإِذَا هِيَ لَيْلَةُ إِحْدَى وَعِشْرِينَ مِنَ الْعَشْرِ الأَوَاخِرِ .
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed i'tikaf (confined himself for devotion and prayer) in the first ten (days) of Ramadan; he then observed i'tikaf in the middle ten (days) in a Turkish tent with a mat hanging at its door. He (the Holy Prophet) took hold of that mat and placed it in the nook of the tent.He then put his head out and talked with people and they came near him, and he (the Holy Prophet) said: I observed i'tikaf in the first ten (nights and days) in order to seek that night (Lailat-ul-Qadr). I then observed i'tikaf in the middle ten days. Then (an angel) was sent to me and I was told that this (night) is among the last ten (nights).He who among you likes to observe i'tikaf should do so; and the people observed it along with him, and he (the Holy Prophet) said: That (Lailat-ul-Qadr) was shown to me on an odd (night) and I (saw in the dream) that I was prostrating in the morning in clay and water. So in the morning of the twenty-first night when he (the Holy Prophet) got up for dawn (prayer). there was a rainfall and the mosque dripped, and I saw clay and water.When he came out after completing the morning prayer (I saw) that his forehead and the tip of his nose had (traces) of clay and water, and that was the twenty-first night among the last ten (nights).
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1167cIn-book reference : Book 13, Hadith 277USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 6, Hadith 2627
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1167c
This hadith describes the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم observing i'tikaf in stages while seeking Laylatul Qadr. Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reports that he first observed i'tikaf in the first ten days, then in the middle ten days. He then told the people that he had been informed that Laylatul Qadr was among the last ten nights. Those who wished to observe i'tikaf were invited to do so. The narration also says he was shown it on an odd night and saw himself prostrating in clay and water. In the morning of the twenty-first night, rain fell, the mosque dripped, and clay and water were seen on his forehead and nose after prayer.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم sought Laylatul Qadr with focused worship.
- This report places the search in the last ten nights of Ramadan.
- Odd nights receive special attention in the narration.
