14/2. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1173a — Tents for I'tikaf and Postponed Devotion
When should the one who wants to observe I'tikaf enter his place of I'tikaf?
I'tikaf Tents and the Prophet's صلى الله عليه وسلم Decision
Sahih Muslim : 1173a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1173a
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ عَمْرَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، - رضى الله عنها - قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَعْتَكِفَ صَلَّى الْفَجْرَ ثُمَّ دَخَلَ مُعْتَكَفَهُ وَإِنَّهُ أَمَرَ بِخِبَائِهِ فَضُرِبَ أَرَادَ الاِعْتِكَافَ فِي الْعَشْرِ الأَوَاخِرِ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ فَأَمَرَتْ زَيْنَبُ بِخِبَائِهَا فَضُرِبَ وَأَمَرَ غَيْرُهَا مِنْ أَزْوَاجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِخِبَائِهِ فَضُرِبَ فَلَمَّا صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْفَجْرَ نَظَرَ فَإِذَا الأَخْبِيَةُ فَقَالَ " آلْبِرَّ تُرِدْنَ " . فَأَمَرَ بِخِبَائِهِ فَقُوِّضَ وَتَرَكَ الاِعْتِكَافَ فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ حَتَّى اعْتَكَفَ فِي الْعَشْرِ الأَوَّلِ مِنْ شَوَّالٍ .
A'isha Narrated from:
When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ) commanded that tents should be pitched for them too. And they were pitched.When the Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) 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.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1173aIn-book reference : Book 14, Hadith 6USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 6, Hadith 2641
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1173a
This hadith describes a specific event related to i'tikaf. 'A'isha reports that when the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم wanted to observe i'tikaf, he prayed Fajr and then entered his place of i'tikaf. A tent was pitched for him. When he intended i'tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan, Zainab had a tent pitched, and other wives also had tents pitched. After Fajr, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم saw the tents and asked, “Is it virtue that they seek?” He ordered his tent to be removed, left i'tikaf in Ramadan, and later observed i'tikaf in the first ten days of Shawwal. The explanation should not guess motives beyond the wording, but it can show that i'tikaf was handled with care.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم entered i'tikaf after the morning prayer in this report.
- He responded when he saw many tents set up for i'tikaf.
- He postponed that i'tikaf and observed it in the first ten days of Shawwal.
