سنن ابي داود
Abu Dawud
كتاب الصيامFasting (Kitab Al-Siyam)
باب الْمُعْتَكِفِ يَدْخُلُ الْبَيْتَ لِحَاجَتِهِChapter: The Person Observing I’tikaf Entering His House For A Need.
Hadith 2471
اُردوEn
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ فَارِسٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ ، عَنْ الزُّهْرِيِّ ، بِإِسْنَادِهِ بِهَذَا ، قَالَتْ : حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ عِنْدَ بَابِ الْمَسْجِدِ الَّذِي عِنْدَ بَابِ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ ، مَرَّ بِهِمَا رَجُلَانِ ، وَسَاقَ مَعْنَاهُ .
The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by Al Zuhri through a different chain of narrators. In this version she said “When he was at the gate of the mosque which was near the gate of Umm Salamah, two men passed them. The narrator then transmitted the tradition to the same effect.
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
Benefits and Issues:
➊ There is no harm in the wife or other relatives meeting the person in i'tikaf (spiritual retreat).
And it is evident that these meetings should be within certain limits, and during this time, necessary conversation can also take place.
➋ The incident of Safiyyah radi Allahu anha meeting the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam during his i'tikaf is also found in Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith: 2035).
It is explicitly mentioned therein that the house of Safiyyah (the purified wife) was adjacent to the door of the mosque, so at the time of her departure, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam came with her from the place of i'tikaf to the door of the mosque.
Therefore, it is not correct to deduce from this incident that a person in i'tikaf may leave the mosque to escort his wife to her home.
However, if arrangements for necessary needs are not available inside the mosque, then that is a different matter.
In such cases, going outside for necessities will be permissible out of compulsion.
➌ It is necessary for a person in general, and especially for those holding sensitive positions, to keep themselves free from all kinds of suspicions.
And it is better to remove any potential suspicion before it arises.
➊ There is no harm in the wife or other relatives meeting the person in i'tikaf (spiritual retreat).
And it is evident that these meetings should be within certain limits, and during this time, necessary conversation can also take place.
➋ The incident of Safiyyah radi Allahu anha meeting the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam during his i'tikaf is also found in Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith: 2035).
It is explicitly mentioned therein that the house of Safiyyah (the purified wife) was adjacent to the door of the mosque, so at the time of her departure, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam came with her from the place of i'tikaf to the door of the mosque.
Therefore, it is not correct to deduce from this incident that a person in i'tikaf may leave the mosque to escort his wife to her home.
However, if arrangements for necessary needs are not available inside the mosque, then that is a different matter.
In such cases, going outside for necessities will be permissible out of compulsion.
➌ It is necessary for a person in general, and especially for those holding sensitive positions, to keep themselves free from all kinds of suspicions.
And it is better to remove any potential suspicion before it arises.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 2471
