Elderly person intending to perform Sunnah I’tikaaf without fasting
Question
An elderly person who is unable to fast intends to sit for itikaaf in the last ten days of Ramadhan but cannot fast. Will the sunnah itikaaf be valid?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
In principle, fasting in the last ten days of Ramadhan is a requisite for the validity of the Sunnah I’tikaaf.[1]
If a person is unable to fast during whilst in I’tikaaf, the Sunnah I’tikaaf will not be valid.
In the enquired scenario, if the elderly person performs I’tikaaf in the last ten days of Ramadhan without fasting, it will be regarded as Nafl I’tikaaf.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Hasan Ahmed Razzak
Student – Darul Iftaa
Paterson, New Jersey, USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
(2021-03-07)
References (Arabic / Urdu sources)
[1]
الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (2/ 442)
قُلْت: وَمُقْتَضَى ذَلِكَ أَنَّ الصَّوْمَ شَرْطٌ أَيْضًا فِي الِاعْتِكَافِ الْمَسْنُونِ لِأَنَّهُ مُقَدَّرٌ بِالْعَشْرِ الْأَخِيرِ حَتَّى لَوْ اعْتَكَفَهُ بِلَا صَوْمٍ لِمَرَضٍ أَوْ سَفَرٍ، يَنْبَغِي أَنْ لَا يَصِحَّ عَنْهُ بَلْ يَكُونَ نَفْلًا فَلَا تَحْصُلُ بِهِ إقَامَةُ سُنَّةِ الْكِفَايَةِ وَيُؤَيِّدُهُ قَوْلُ الْكَنْزِ سُنَّ لَبْثٌ فِي مَسْجِدٍ بِصَوْمٍ وَنِيَّةٍ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يُمْكِنُ حَمْلُهُ عَلَى الْمَنْذُورِ لِتَصْرِيحِهِ بِالسُّنِّيَّةِ وَلَا عَلَى التَّطَوُّعِ لِقَوْلِهِ بَعْدَهُ وَأَقَلُّهُ نَفْلًا سَاعَةٌ فَتَعَيَّنَ حَمْلُهُ عَلَى الْمَسْنُونِ سُنَّةً مُؤَكَّدَةً، فَيَدُلُّ عَلَى اشْتِرَاطِ الصَّوْمِ فِيهِ
فتاوی محمودیہ ج-10 ص-220
عشرۃ اخیرہ کا اعتکاف سنت مؤکدہ علی الکفایہ ہے، اگر بغیر روزہ کے یہ اعتکاف کیا تو یہ اعتکاف مسنون نہیں ہوگا، بلکہ نفل بن جائے گا، البتہ اگر ایک دن روزہ نہ رکھا تو صرف ایک دن کے اعتکاف کی قضاء لازم ہوگی
فتاوی رحیمیہ ج-3 ص-110
مسنون اعتکاف کے لیے روزہ شرط ہے، لہذا روزہ کے بغیر اعتکاف نفلی ہے، مسنون
فتاوي دار العلوم زكيا ج-3 ص-341
مسنون اعتکاف کے لیے روزہ شرط ہے، لہذا صورت مسئولہ میں بوڑے میان کا اعتکاف نفلی ہو جائیگا سنت ادا نہ ہو گی
- Answered by
- Hasan Ahmed Razzak
- Checked & approved by
- Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Where scholars differ, it’s safer to take the more cautious view.
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Source: Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah — https://askimam.org/public/question_detail/47452
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/askimam-47452
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