A dialogue about the retreat

A dialogue about I'tikaf Sheikh Ibn Al-Jibreen A dialogue on I'tikaf In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate Praise be to Allah, who said in the clear Quran: "Cleanse My House for those who circumambulate it, those who stay (in worship), and those who bow and prostrate." And peace and blessings be upon the one who practiced I'tikaf with his companions and wives after him, and upon them all, with abundant peace and blessings. To proceed: O Muslims and Muslimat everywhere, peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings. I congratulate you all on entering the blessed month of Ramadan. Among the reasons for joy, happiness, and love is that we meet together at this blessed moment, which is an excellent opportunity to strengthen your connection with your Lord, Glorified and Exalted, and to draw closer to Allah by performing the best deeds. Only the sincere workers succeed. A Muslim is quick to seize acts of obedience, eager to gain good deeds, racing to do righteous acts, because every moment that passes is part of his life, and he will regret it when regret is of no benefit. Some Muslims today are preoccupied with this worldly life, with no thought or regard. However, Allah, the Most Generous, bestows His blessings upon His servants, preparing opportunities for acts of obedience to purify their souls, clarify their hearts, and diminish their sins, elevating them to the highest ranks. Every Muslim and Muslimat should take from their health for their sickness, from their free time for their busy schedule, and from their life for their death, so they may earn Allah's pleasure. Only the sincere workers succeed. How fortunate is he who strives in this great month, recognizing the value of his time and the honor of his period, for he does not know if he will fast this month next year or not, because the soul does not know what it will earn tomorrow. Let each of us remember this great advice: when you wake up in the morning, do not wait for the evening; and when you become evening, do not wait for the morning. Allah is the Greatest. Have we understood this and acted upon it, dear brothers and sisters? My brothers and sisters in Allah: The acts of fasting and I'tikaf were legislated for a great purpose and a major goal that most people have overlooked. This I'tikaf has been abandoned by most people, and only a few do it. Even these few need to contemplate the meanings of this ritual, reflect on its rulings, and its secrets. I'tikaf, in essence, is the heart's devotion to Allah, sincerity to Him, and detachment from worldly matters, so that one can unite detachment from people and desires, and after that, attain self-purification and cleansing from sins and wrongdoings. I'tikaf existed before the Prophethood; the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to seclude himself in the cave. When the light of Islam shone, its teachings and rulings settled, and Allah, the Most High, directed His Prophet to be in the mosque when he sought solitude with Him, not elsewhere. As Sayyida Safiyya (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Prophet (peace be upon him) was in I'tikaf in the mosque during the last ten nights of Ramadan... (Bukhari 4/237). And Muslim narrated (1656) from Ibn Umar. And Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to observe I'tikaf in the last ten nights of Ramadan until Allah took his soul... Therefore, we are in great need to revive this Sunnah, establish it, encourage each other to uphold it, and adhere to it in the proper way that our Prophet (peace be upon him) did. A report from Ka’b ibn Abd Allah from his father from his grandfather states that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said to Bilal ibn Al-Harith: "Know that whoever revives a Sunnah of mine that has died after me, he will have the reward of those who act upon it, without diminishing their rewards in anything." (Bukhari 4/226) And Muslim narrated (1183) from Aisha. May Allah be pleased with his wives and companions after him, who revived this Sunnah and worshipped their Lord until some of them wondered, saying: "How amazing are the Muslims! They abandoned I'tikaf, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) never abandoned it from the time he entered Medina until Allah took him." This speech of mine is merely a reminder, a motivation, and an encouragement. What I have mentioned is only a small part of what there is. What is our situation today? Could this be a motivation for us to obey Allah and His Messenger? In order to revive this Sunnah and spread it among Muslims, I sought help from Allah, and I wrote these questions because the need in our current time has called for it. I then presented them to the esteemed Sheikh Dr. Abdullah bin Abdul Rahman Al-Jibreen, may Allah preserve him from all harm and benefit Islam and Muslims everywhere. He responded, may Allah reward him well, despite his busy schedule and many duties. May Allah guide everyone to what pleases Him, keep us and you away from His anger and prohibitions. I ask Allah the Almighty to make this message beneficial for my Muslim brothers and sisters, sincere for His Face alone, and that He does not deprive me of the supplications of the righteous and the mercy of the believers. And our last supplication is: Praise be to Allah, Lord of all worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and all his companions.