Bismihi Ta`ala

LAST 10 DAYS I`TIKAAF DURING LOCKDOWN/HEALTH CURFEW.First of all, know that during normal times, it is sunnah Muakkadah alal kifayah for men to sit I`tikaaf in the last 10 days of Ramadhaan in a Masjid in a given locality. That it is, at least one man should sit sunnah I`tikaaf in a Masjid in any given locality. If no man sat I`tikaaf in a Masjid, then the whole locality will be sinful.Although there are 2 views on the I`tikaaf whether the whole  city will be saved by one person or only the locality, but due to lockdown situation, we will shift to take the easier opinion of city/town as more appropriate in this circumstance.حاشية الطحطاوي على مراقي الفلاح – (1 / 271)( وباقي أهل المحلة أقامها منفردا ) أفاد بهذا التعبير أنها سنة كفاية لكل محلة فيها مسجد فإقامتها بمسجد واحد في البلد لا تسقط الجماعة عن جميعهم حيث تعددت مساجد المحلة ويحرر ومقتضى إطلاقهم أنها سنة كفاية أن المراد أنها سنة كفاية البلد لا في المحلة That is, in a given city, if the law allow ONE man to sit I`tikaaf in a given Masjid, then the whole city/town will be saved from sins. Else if the law allow not, then we will have to see other options as written down. According to Fatawa Deoband and other fatawas, it is not permissible for men to sit i`tikaaf in homes. Only women can sit I`tikaaf in home. Hence, we don`t see any support for men to sit sunnah i`tikaaf at home.Moreover, women can sit in a specific salaah room under the condition that they should not leave unless with necessity of wouzu or ghusl. They should be in their salaah purity days and keeping fast also. The niyah should be sunnah I`tikaaf. So in the case that men cannot sit I-tikaaf in masjids, then women should sit I`tikaaf at home. I have not find any relevant materials to this severe curfew context where no man can sit i`tikaaf except what some ulamas have said about our mothers-the wives of Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam-used to sit in I`tikaaf for the last 10 days of Ramadhaan after Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam-Bukhari:صحيح البخاري – ()عن ابن شهاب عن عروة بن الزبير عن عائشة رضي الله عنها زوج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يعتكف العشر الأواخر من رمضان حتى توفاه الله ثم اعتكف أزواجه من بعده
 Hazrat Aisha r.a. said: ‘’Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam used to sit the last 10 days of Ramadhaan in i`tikaaf continuously until he left this world and then His wives sat I`tikaaf after Him.’’(Bukhari)And towards that Hazrat Mowlana Abdul Hayy Lacknowi said that since the hadith indicate that after Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam, it seems that the wives of Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam who steadfast on that Sunnah Muakkadah, then it can be said that they waived off the sins of everyone in Madinah. Wallahou A`lam. الإنصاف في حكم الاعتكاف لعبد الحي اللكنوي ص٣١ ط دار البشائر الإسلاميةقلت: ما يخطر بالبال هو أن الاعتكاف وإن كان سنة مؤكدة لكنه سنة كفاية على ما ورد فترك الخلفاء في زمنهم لا يقدح في شيء لان أزواج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كن يعتكفن بعد إنتقاله في بيوتهن لما أخرجه البخاري ومسلم والنسائي وأبو داود والترمذي عن عائشة: “أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يعتكف العشر الأواخر من رمضان حتى قبضه الله تعالى ثم اعتكف أزواجه من بعد”،فكفى اعتكافهن رافعا للاثم اللازم بترك ألسنة المؤكدة والله أعلم A few years before, Alhamdulillah, I remember I gave fatwa on a particular case where the Masjid was under full renovation, it was impossible for men to sit I`tikaaf, then i requested some women in that area to sit for sunnah I`tikaaf.Please note that for sunnah I`tikaaf to be valid, one need to do niyah of Sunnah I`tikaaf of last ten days before maghrib of 21st Ramadhaan. One should be baaligh, of sane mind, pure from janabah/haiz and keeping fast.  حاشية رد المحتار على الدر المختار (حاشية ابن عابدين) وتكملته – ()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 The time of 10 days of I`tikaaf is kept exclusively for Ibaadats and Tasbihs in the masjidul bait/room of salaah at home. One should not involve in anything besides Ibaadats, tasbihs, wouzu, farz ghusl and resting. We will send later Insha Allah that sunnah I`tikaaf is mainly to obtain the virtues of laylatul qadr.
Mufti Mackoojee