Q: I want to sit for Sunnah itikhaaf in my room. Please tell me the do’s and don’t’s. Please tell me when should I go inside, meaning the 20th night before maghrib or 21st night before maghrib. And am I allowed to read the Quraan with a reciter being played of a radio or Ipod?
My brother want to sit in the masjid as well and he wants to know, is he allowed to have a cellphone, listen to lectures off his phone and his he allowed to smoke, not frequent, maybe two a day at sehri and iftaar.
A. 1. She will make I’tikaaf in the place reserved for Salaah in the house. This will be like the Masjid for her. Her eating, drinking, etc. will take place here. If she exits from this place without a valid Shar’i reason, her I’tikaaf will break.
2. If a special place in the house was specified for Salaah, she will make I’tikaaf in that specified place only. If no place was specified from before, it will now be specified and I’tikaaf will be made in this place.
3. A married woman needs the permission of the husband to sit in I’tikaaf. He can refuse permission. However, once he has given permission, he cannot retract.
4. Once he has granted permission and she is sitting in I’tikaaf, sexual intercourse, romancing, kissing, etc. will not be permissible. If sexual intercourse took place, her I’tikaaf will break.
5. I’tikaaf cannot be made when in Haidh or Nifaas. If these take place during I’tikaaf, it will break. If Haidh or Nifaas took place during I’tikaaf, after becoming Paak, she will make Qadhaa of only the day on which the Haidh started.
The Qur’aan can be read in that manner.
He can listen to lectures on the phone.
He must not go out specially to smoke. If he does the itikaaf will break. He can smoke when he goes to toilet.
You will commence Itikaaf on Friday 18th, 2014 just before Maghrib sets in.
Moulana Yusuf Laher