#640: Ruling on Al-Iʿtikāf
QUESTION
YOU MENTIONED THAT I’ITIKĀF IS THE ONLY FORM OF SECLUSION SANCTIONED IN ISLĀM. WHAT ABOUT THE HADĪTH OF THE BELIEVER IN THE MOUNTAINS?
“Assalāmu Alaykum Warahmatullāh Wabarakātuh. You mentioned that:
“The only form of KHALWAH (Seclusion) licensed by the Rasūl -salallāhu alayhi wasallam – is the observation of I’itikāf in the Masjid and in the doing of the Ibādāt that have been sanctioned by Allāh Ta’ālā”
…But there is an hadith of the prophet(S.A.W) which was narrated by sa’id Al-khudri:-When somebody asked’ “O Allah’s messenger ! Who is best among the people? The prophet (S.A.W) replied.” A believer who strives his utmost in Allah’s Cause with his life and property” They asked “who is next” He(S.A.W.)replied, “A believer who stays in one of the mountain paths worshipping Allah and leaving the people secure of his mischief”… (Sahih Al-Bukhari, 4,2786)”
ANSWER:
Wa Alaykum Salām Warahmatullāh Wabarakātuh
Alhamdulillāh!
There is no contradiction in what we have said with what lies in the Hadith to which you referred.
This is because what is referred in this Hadīth of Abū Sa’īd Al-Khudry – radiyallāhu ‘anhu – is the Believer who withdraws from People as a way of saving himself from Fitnah. The emphasis therefore is on withdrawing for fear of Fitnah, and in the era of Fitnah, and not a Seclusion for the purpose of ‘Ibādah.
Had this being an encouragement to withdraw to the valley’s as a form of ‘Ibādah, then the Rasūl – salallāhu alayhi wasallam – would have been the first to do that.
For this reason, the Ulamā in their elucidations on this Hadīth explained that this Hadīth is contextualized only in the Eras of Fitnah. They then differed on whether remaining on the communities and socializing with the people was better, or withdrawing into the valleys and the mountains to live a solitary life.
Imām Abū Zakariyyah Sharafuddīn An-Nawawī – rahimahullāh – said in his Commentary on Sahih Muslim:
“The Madh’hab of Ash-Shāfi’ī and the Majority is that to remain in the communities and socialize with others is better than withdrawing, as long as their is safety from Fitnah. While a band of others held that to withdraw was better. The Majority debunked this argument by saying that this (text) is contexed on the period of Fitnah and Wars… And the Prophets – salawātullāhi wasalāmuhu alayhim -, the generality of the Sahābah, the Tābi’īn, the ‘Ulamā and the Zuhhād remained in societies and socialized. And thereby a lot of benefits were derived such as the attendance of Jumu’ah, Jamā’ah, Janāzah, Visiting the Sick, and attending the Congregations of Dhikr of Allāh… Then, what is meant is not necessarily literally the valleys of mountains. Rather what is meant is withdrawal and seclusion. The valley was only mentioned because it is mostly free of people…”
Imam Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah – Rahimahullāh – expounded better on this in Madāriju As-Sālikīn as we have explained.
The worst of Fitnah is Shirk. A Shirk that sneers a Believer away from his Īmān and seek to make him drift to Kufr. It is better for one to withdraw from the society and live the life of a Normad who lives in the wilderness than to fall prey to the winds of Fitnah. That’s what is emphasized in the Hadīth referred, especially in the ends of time.
We ask Allāh to protect is from Fitnah; what is apparent and what is hidden of it, amīn
Bārakallāhu Fīkum
Jazakumullāhu Khayran
20th Dhul Hijjah 1439A.H
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