Read the Friday Sermon Below:
Religion (Deen, Deen
of Allah, Islam) came to bring balance and perfection to man in his life.
Without religion, man loses his bearings and therefore will not be able to live
a healthy life. It is religion that encourages marriage, family life and
prayer.
The fact that we are being watched (by Allah, and His angels) and that we must one day be held accountable for our actions forces us to behave well and think twice before committing despicable acts. The religion of Islam advocates moderation and does not tolerate any extremes. On the one hand, there is the obligation of everyone to seek a lawful livelihood, and on the other hand one must engage in religious obligations every day. But during the year one should have a balance between worldly activities and spirituality. And this is where we note that the prophet (pbuh) dedicated the last ten days of each Ramadan to Itikaaf. It is narrated by Hazrat Aisha (ra) that after the death of the Prophet (pbuh), his wives also sat down for the ten days of Itikaaf (Bukhari).
Itikaaf is cutting oneself off from all worldly occupations
and withdrawing to do Ibaadat (acts of worship) exclusively in the
Mosque for men and for ladies too [For ladies, their homes too can become
places of retreat, but there are strict rules to observe, just like for the
Mosque]. There are three categories of Itikaaf: Nafl (Voluntary),
Sunnah (Prophetic Practice), and Wajib (Compulsory). The
intention of Nafl Itikaaf can be done at any time when entering the
Mosque and it can be broken without problem. There is no condition to fast
attached to Nafl Itikaaf and one can do it even for a moment.
Second, there is the Sunnah
Itikaaf of the last ten days of Ramadan. This Itikaaf requires one
to be clean and to be fasting and completing it until the end. This is why when
menstruation arrives, ladies must break their Itikaaf. Wives must have
permission from their husbands to sit for this Itikaaf.
The Wajib Itikaaf
is this retreat which one has made in the form of a promise, or a promise in
return for any favour. Therefore, it becomes obligatory for that person to
accomplish it (to fulfil his promise). The Itikaaf of the last ten days
of Ramadan is Sunnah Muakkadah ‘Alal Kifayah, i.e. at least one man must
be in the state of Itikaaf during the last 10 days of Ramadan in at
least one Mosque in each place . If there is no one, then all Muslims in these
areas are to blame.
It is reported on the
authority of Ibn Majah that whoever performs Itikaaf, it is as if he is
performing all good deeds that he can do. “Whoever observes Itikaaf for one
day seeking Allah’s pleasure, Allah creates between him and the fire of Hell,
three trenches, the width of each greater than the distance between the heaven
and the earth.” (Tabrani)
And the virtue of Itikaaf
is that we are cut off from all worldly occupations to concentrate on our
Creator, Allah. And yet the greatest virtue is the night of Lailatul Qadr
which one can have through the Itikaaf of the last ten days. The Holy
Prophet (pbuh) as a matter of fact performed Itikaaf to have that night
(i.e. the blessings thereof). More than 1000 months of rewards for this night
and therefore we understand why so many people accompanied the prophet (pbuh)
during Itikaaf. The main objective of Itikaaf is to abandon
worldly tasks to devote ourselves to the service of Allah within the limits of
the Mosque. And we are advised to increase the ‘Ibaadat’ during these last ten
days: “When the last ten days of Ramadan arrived, the Prophet (pbuh) spent
the nights in acts of worship, woke up his wives, and did a lot of effort and
tightened his belt.” (Muslim)
The expression “tightened his belt” is explained
either to express the seriousness of the prophet (pbuh) in doing acts of
worship or that he did not approach his wives in those days.
The first condition of Itikaaf, whether Sunnah
or Wajib is that one must be Muslim, clean (without impurity), be of
sound mind and one must fast. For men and women, Itikaaf is done in a
Mosque where the five Obligatory Salat (prayers) are established. Ladies
must be pure (before or after menstruation).
Hazrat Aisha (ra)
explains: “The prescription on a Mu’takif (one who performs Itikaaf) is that
he should not go out to visit a sick person, should not attend a funeral,
should not go out without necessity and there is no Itikaaf without fasting.”
(Abu Dawud)
So, one must stay
within these limits and spend his time reading the Holy Quran, doing his Salat,
Tasbihs and engaging in other religious pursuits. We can talk about good
things, sleep, eat in there and our family can take news about our well-being.
Men do not go to work and ladies do not take care of their household chores.
But if they don’t have anyone to cook, then they can take care of it without
delay and return back to their place for Itikaaf.
Itikaaf is reserved for engaging in Deen occupations
and nothing else. No trade transactions or words of the temporal world.
Now let’s see how to
accomplish Itikaaf. Itikaaf [in brief] is staying in a Mosque with the intention
of being there for Allah. Performing Itikaaf during the last ten days of
Ramadan is Sunnah Muakaadah (That is, it is not obligatory to do it, but
it is highly desirable to do it, at least by a pious person who will represent
the Ummah in his place). At least one believer must perform Itikaaf in
each place. More than one person can do this in a Mosque and each will receive
the same reward. Whoever has to perform the Itikaaf of Ramadan must
enter the Mosque before sunset on the 20th day of Ramadan, he will
only leave after the appearance of the new moon of Shawwal [i.e. Eid-ul-Fitr].
Leaving the Mosque
without a valid reason can only break the Itikaaf. It is permissible to
leave it for Salat-ul-Jumu’ah (in case this Salat is not performed in
the Mosque where he/ she performs Itikaaf), for Istinja (purification
after his natural needs as urine and defecation), Wa’zu (ablution for
prayer), Ghusl (the great bath – the complete purification).
On the 20th
day of Ramadan before the Salat of Asr, one should enter the Mosque with the
intention of making Itikaaf and read the Niyyah (intention):
Bismillahi
Dakhaltu Wa’alaihi Tawakkaltu Wa Nawaitu Sunnatal Itikaaf.
(With the Blessed Name
of Allah have I entered (into the Masjid) and in Him have I placed my trust,
and I have made the intention of the Sunnah of Itikaaf)
Then you do 2 Rakat Tahiyatul-Masjid, as for the usual Nafls, but before you do Asr Prayer in congregation.
After the Salat of Asr, read the tasbihs: Yaa Jabbaru,
Yaa Allah, Astafirullah. (O the One Who compels each and everything
according to Your Divine Will, O Allah, Forgive me.)
And recite the Darood Shariff 100 times until the
time of Iftar, but about 10 minutes before Iftar you stop and
then concentrate in your duahs to ask from Allah for the well-being of
everyone and the goods of this world, as well as the goods of the hereafter,
and you can also read this Duah:
Ya Hayyu Ya
Qayyum Sabbitna Alal Imaan.
(O Living, O
Self-Sustaining Sustainer! Raise me with faith.)
After the Salat-ul-Maghrib, read the 6-Rakat of the Salaatul Awwabeen, two by two like all the usual Nafils and then recite the tasbih:
Ya Sattaru, Ya Allah (O
Coverer of Sins (and mistakes), O Allah), 100 times.
After the Salat-ul-Esha, Tarawih prayers and Duahs, read the tasbih:
Yaa Ghaffaru Yaa Allah (O the Absolute
Forgiver, O Allah), 100 times and read Surah Mulk (Tabaarakal-Lazi…)
or other Surahs that you usually read and also do Zikrullah and
recitation of the Holy Quran.
Before sleeping, read
the four Quls 3 times, i.e. (Qul-ya ayyuhal Kaafiruun,
Qul-huww-Allah Ahad, Qul Aouzu Bi-Rabbil-falaq, Qul Aouzou Bi-Rabbin-Naas).
When you wake up for
Tahajjud, after doing Wa’zu, read Tahiyyatul Wa’zu (like after
every Wa’zu).
Then you perform 8-Rakat of Salat-ul-Tahajjud two by two (Rakat) and then you read the Holy Quran and the Salatul-ul-Tawbah (two Rakat). Read as much as possible:
Allahumma Innaka afuwwun Tuhibbul Afwa Fa’fu Anni.
(O Allah, You are
Forgiving and love forgiveness, so forgive me.)
After Suhur/ Sehri, read 100 times:
Subhan Allahi Wal Hamdulillahi Wa Laa Ilaaha Illallaahu Wallahu Akbar Wala Hawla Wa lakuwata illah billahil ‘Aliyyil Azim.
(Glory
be to Allah and all praise be to Allah, there is none worthy of worship except
Allah, and Allah is the Greatest. There is no might or power except from Allah,
the Exalted, the Great One.)
After Salat-ul-Fajr, read the tasbih:
Ya Azizu, Ya Allah (O
the One Who is Most Powerful and Most Cherished, O Allah), 100 times and
other tasbihs as much as possible until the time of Ishraaq, then you do
Salat-ul-Ishraaq (2-Rakat) at least 20 minutes after sunrise. After Salat-ul-Ishraaq
read Surahs Yasin and Muzammil and then read or recite (other Surahs of) the
Holy Quran.
Around 10 a.m. (in the
morning), perform Salatul-Duha (Chaasht) (4 Rakat). If you have
personal problems you can read the Salatul Haajah (2-Rakat as for the
usual Nafls) every day. Then read 4 Rakat of Salatul Tasbih.
After Salatul Tasbih, it is best to recite the Holy Quran, and read the Darood
Shariff – especially on Thursday evening and Friday morning (i.e. Jumu’ah).
Read the Darood Shariff a lot and also read Surah Al-Kahf.
So, my dear disciples and brothers and sisters of the Community of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), maximize these blessed days. And to those who will observe the Itikaaf, I advise them to refrain from speaking without necessity, not to leave the Mosque except for the necessary need, to avoid eating foods that give off odours and not to smoke during the 10 days [not only those 10 days, but for the rest of your lives]. Keep away from yourselves all bad habits that ruin your physical, moral and spiritual health. May Allah accept our [all the Muslim believers’] Itikaafs. Insha-Allah, Ameen.