*B i s m i l l a a h i r   R a h m a a n i r   R a h e e m  *

*     Ramadhaan *

 *The Practice of the Prophet*

Sall Allaahu`alayhi wa sallam

During The Last Ten Nights of Ramadhaan

      'Aa'ishah, radhiallaahu 'anha, reported: "When the last ten days of
Ramadhaan came, the Prophet sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam would stay up all
night, wake his family and gird his loins". [Al-Bukhaari & Muslim]. In the
book of Imaam Muslim the narration read: "He strove hard and girded his
loins". Imaam Ibn Hajar, rahimahullaah, said: "His staying all night was in
worship and acts of obedience, and the reason he woke his family was for
them to pray the optional night prayers, and girding his loins referred to
him abstaining from sleeping with his wives".

'Aa'ishah, radhiallaahu 'anha, reported: "The Prophet sall Allaahu 'alayhi
wa sallam used to strive hard (in worship) during the last ten days of
Ramadhaan in a way that he did not strive at any other times." [Muslim].

Zaynab Bint Umm Salamah, radhiallaahu 'anha, reported: "Whenever the last
ten nights of Ramadhaan came, the Prophet sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam
would not leave any member of his family who could physically pray the night
prayers but would wake them up." [At-Tirmithi].

* The Way of the Prophet, sall Allaahu`alayhi wa sallam, in I`tikaaf*

'Aa'ishah, radhiallaahu 'anha, reported: "The Prophet sall Allaahu 'alayhi
wa sallam used to do I'tikaaf  (residing in the Masjid with the intention of
worship) during the last ten days of Ramadhaan  until he passed away, then
his wives did I'tikaaf after him"

Ibn 'Umar, radhiallaahu 'anhu, reported: "The Prophet sall Allaahu 'alayhi
wa sallam used to do I'tikaaf during the last ten days of Ramadhaan"
[Al-Bukhaari & Muslim].

'Aa'ishah, radhiallaahu 'anha, reported: "When the Prophet sall Allaahu
'alayhi wa sallam wanted to do I'tikaaf, he would pray Fajr, then enter the
place where he was to do I'tikaaf" [Al-Bukhaari & Muslims].

Once the Prophet sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam wanted to do I'tikaaf in the
last ten nights of Ramadhaan, so he commanded a small tent be placed for him
in the Masjid. Zaynab, radhiallaahu 'anha, also commanded a tent be placed
for her for I'tikaaf, and after that other wives of the Prophet, sall
Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, commanded likewise. After he, sall Allaahu
'alayhi wa sallam, prayed the Fajr prayer he noticed the tents and commanded
his tent to be removed and did not resume I'tikaaf the remaining part of
Ramadhaan, and instead he went into I'tikaaf the first ten nights of the
month of Shawwaal. This proves that he, sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, had
a special isolated area away form the people for I'tikaaf that was enough
only for him.

Aboo Hurayrah, radhiallaahu 'anhu, reported: "The Messenger of Allaah sall
Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam used to perform I'tikaaf every year in the month
of Ramadhaan for ten days, and when it was the year of his death, he stayed
in I'tikaaf for twenty days" . [Al-Bukhaari].

Ibn 'Umar, radhiallaahu 'anhu, narrated that the Prophet sall Allaahu
'alayhi wa sallam said: *"Seek Laylatul-Qadr (i.e. the night of decree) in
the last ten days of Ramadhaan" * [Al-Bukhaari].

Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri, radhiallaahu 'anhu, said: "The Messenger of Allaah
sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam did I'tikaaf during the first ten days of
Ramadhaan, then he did I'tikaaf during the middle ten days in a Turkish tent
[a circular structure] in which a mat was placed. He said: "So he, sall
Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, took the mat in his hand and put it at the side
of the tent, then he raised his head to speak to the people, so they came
closer to him. He, sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said: *"I did I'tikaaf
during the first ten days, seeking this night, then I did I'tikaaf during
the middle ten days. Then someone came to me and told me that it is in the
last ten days, so whoever among you wants to do I'tikaaf, let him do
so." *So the people did I'tikaaf with him. He, sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam,
said: *"I was shown an odd-numbered night, in the morning of which I was
prostrating in mud and water". *Then in the morning of the twenty-first, he,
sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, got up to pray the Fajr prayer and it was
raining; the roof of the Masjid leaked, and there was mud and water. He,
sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, came out when he had finished praying, and
there was mud and water on his forehead and nose. That was the morning of
the twenty-first, one of the last ten days. [Muslim].

Aboo Hurayrah, radhiallaahu 'anhu, reported that the Prophet sall Allaahu
'alayhi wa sallam said: *"Whoever stays up praying during Laylatul-Qadr (
i.e. in prayer) out of faith and in the hope of Allaah's reward, all his
previous sins will be forgiven." *[Al-Bukhaari & Muslim].

'Aa'ishah, radhiallaahu 'anha, reported: "When the Messenger of Allaah sall
Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam was in I'tikaaf, he inclined his head towards me
and I combed his hair whilst I was on my menses inside my room (i.e. which
overlooked the Masjid), and he did not enter the house except for a need (
i.e. relieving himself)." [Al-Bukhaari & Muslim] He, sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam would walk his wives back home if any of them visited him in the
Masjid during I'tikaaf.

Al-Husayn Ibn Ali, radhiallaahu 'anhu, reported: "Safiyyah the wife of the
Prophet sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam came and visited him during his
I'tikaaf in the Masjid during the last ten days of Ramadhaan. She spoke with
him for a while, then she stood up to go home. The Prophet sall Allaahu
'alayhi wa sallam stood up with her to walk her back, then when she reached
the door of the Masjid, by the door of Umm Salamah, two men of the Ansaar
passed by and greeted the Prophet  sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam and
rapidly moved away. The Prophet sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said to them:
*"Wait, this is Safiyyah bint Huyay." *They said: "Subhaanallaah, O
Messenger of Allaah!" They felt distressed (that he thought they might think
something bad). The Prophet sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: *"The devil
is as close to a man as his blood." *In another report: *"The devil flows
through the veins of a man like blood. I was afraid that the devil might
cast some evil ideas into your hearts."  *[Al-Bukhaari & Muslim].

Ibn Al-Qayyim, rahimahullaah, said: "Whenever the Prophet sall Allaahu
'alayhi wa sallam was in I'tikaaf, a mat would be placed for him and a bed,
and if he went out to use the bathroom, he would not talk to anyone, and his
I'tikaaf area was small, unlike what some ignorant people do by making their
area fit ten people so that they can receive visitors. This is contrary to
the manner of the Prophet sall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam's I'tikaaf".

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