Tonight is the beginning of the last 10 days of Ramadan for me, I'm not sure about others or whether it's the same, but I know these last 10 days are important- especially because of Laylatul Qadr, which I wrote about in my last blog, but also Itikaf, in fact I was going to write a blog on just one topic today, as I pretty much always have done, but I remembered that many are starting Itikaf today, therefore, I thought I would go over this topic with you.
Firstly, I want to give a brief explanation of what Itikaf is. Itikaf is when you enter the masjid (or in your home if you are a woman) with the intention of staying inside. Insha-Allah there will be many people who will do Itikaf for the last 10 days of Ramadan. There are three types of Itikaf.
ITIKAF.
WAAJIB ITIKAF:
If you pledged to make Itikaf if one of your wishes, or desires is fulfilled. For example, if you day you will make Itikaf if you pass your exams. This kind of Itikaf is one day and one night, and you must accompany this Itikaf with a fast.
SUNNAT MU-AKKADAH:
Performing Itikaf on the last 10 days of Ramadan is sunnat mu-akkadah'alal kifaayah, which means at least one person in the community has to perform it, or else everyone will be sinful.
MUSTAHAB OR NAFL:
Performing Itikaf for any amount of time, and no fast is needed.
You could even perform this type of Itikaf for a few minutes.
In order to perform Itikaf, you must be:
1. A Muslim
2. Sane
3. Free from Hadase Akbar (in need of a bath)
4. You must have the niyyat (intention)
It's makrooh for you to stay completely silent, as a form of Ibadah, but you should avoid talking about worldly things (matters).
A Mu'takif is some-one who performs Itikaf.
During Itikaf some things the Mu'takif should engage in are:
"1. Ibadat
2. Reading the Qur'aan.
3. Nafl salaat and Zikr
4. Durood Shareef and Istighfar
5. Remembrance of Allah
6. Learning or teach the knowledge of the deen."
Woman should do their Itikaf in their houses, where she prays her namaaz, or just in any place that's suitable.
WAYS TO LEARN IN RAMADAN.
I was initially going to do this list today, but I think it's important to know about Itikaf especially as many people are performing it soon.
Recently I have wrote quite a lot of advice on how to make your Ramadan productive, along with different activities to try, and Ramadan is the month where we should spend our time wisely.
Therefore, I am going to write some ways to learn (about Islam and different topics inside Islam) in a list.
1. Firstly, NOTES. It may seem simple but you can do so much from one set of notes, you could write it out into a report or more formal document, you could re-read your notes whenever you are unsure about something. You could go through your notes. You could share what you've learnt. However, by notes, I don't mean sitting there randomly, no book, no lecture,not even at a talk just scribbling about maybe the football match that's on TV. I mean go to a talk, listen to a talk on the internet, take notes from a book etc.
You could mindmap, bullet point- whatever helps you.
2. The Internet.
You can listen to talks over the Internet or read blogs, like this one.
I'm going to leave a a link to a talk below, as this is one of the talks I listened to in Ramadan and it really got to me.
It is about the day of reckoning.
It should encourage us to try hard, that this dunya is a test and that we should try our very best and more to pass it!
3. Teach.
I know your thinking these are opposites, but you can learn from teaching. For example, if you are about to teach on a topic you only know a bit about, you will learn more about it won't you?
Through that, you have learnt and you have taught someone else.
Perhaps you can start a blog!
4. The Qur'aan.
Read the Qur'aan! You can read the translation if you don't know Arabic. Maybe you can even attend Tafsir classes to learn more deeply into the meaning of the Qur'aan.
It's important to know how you learn as well, so you can use this in a useful manner, and if I were you I would make sure the way you are learning is safe, and halal (so you are not looking on dodgy websites or learning in a manner that is not allowed in Islam.
I hope you are having a nice Ramadan, and if you are doing Itikaf, I hope it goes well.
Ramadan Mubarak!
Asaalam everyone!
ReplyDeleteI forgot to add what I am going to do every odd night for my blogs. I remember saying in my previous blog I was going to do something for Laylatul Qadr, and what I am going to do is write two blogs every odd night.
One being my regular blog and the other being an extra blog.
I am not sure what exactly I will be doing. Inshallah what I'm hoping to do is learn about a new topic each time and tell you what I've learnt.
I'll try to start later on today.
Ramadan Mubarak!