About the hadeeth, “There is no i‘tikaaf except in the three mosques”

 

Imam al-Albaani said in his essay Qiyaam Ramadan, in the section on i‘tikaaf: “Then I came across a clear saheeh hadeeth which singles out these mosques: ‘There is no i‘tikaaf except in the three mosques.”’ And he pointed out that it is a hadeeth of Hudhayfah narrated by al-Tahhaawi, al-Bayhaqi and al-Isma‘eeli, and hence in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah. What is the ruling on this hadeeth? What could we learn from it concerning i‘tikaaf? i.e., do we understand that it is prohibited to observe i‘tikaaf anywhere but in the three mosques or do we learn from this hadeeth that perfect i‘tikaaf cannot be done except in the three mosques? In either case, what is the proof?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: 

The Qur’aan and Sunnah, and scholarly consensus, indicate
that it is mustahabb to observe i‘tikaaf in the mosques. 

Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the
meaning):

“and We commanded Ibrâhim (Abraham) and Ismâ'il (Ishmael)
that they should purify My House (the Ka'bah at Makkah) for those who are
circumambulating it, or staying (I'tikâf), or bowing or prostrating
themselves (there, in prayer)”

[al-Baqarah 2:125].  

“And do not have sexual relations with them (your wives)
while you are in I'tikâf (i.e. confining oneself in a mosque for prayers and
invocations leaving the worldly activities) in the mosques”

[al-Baqarah 2:187]. 

More than one of the scholars narrated that there was
consensus on that. See: al-Ijmaa‘ by Ibn al-Mundhir, 47; al-Mughni,
3/122 

Although the scholars differed concerning the description of
the mosque in which it is prescribed to observe i‘tikaaf, there is hardly
any difference of opinion among the fuqaha’ that it is permissible to
observe i‘tikaaf in the mosque in which Jumu‘ah prayer and prayers in
congregation are offered. There was no report of any difference of opinion
concerning that except from some of the Taabi‘een. 

We have discussed this issue previously on our website in the
answers to questions no. 49006
and 48985. 

Secondly: 

With regard to the hadeeth mentioned in the question, “There
is no i‘tikaaf except in the three mosques,” it is a hadeeth from the great
Sahaabi Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman which was narrated from him via Sufyaan ibn
‘Uyaynah from Jaami‘ ibn Abi Raashid from Abu Waa’il: Hudhayfah said to
‘Abdullah, meaning ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him): Are you
observing i‘tikaaf between your house and the house of Abu Moosa when you
know that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
said: “There is no i‘tikaaf except in al-Masjid al-Haraam or in the three
mosques”? ‘Abdullah said: Perhaps you have forgotten and they remembered, or
you made a mistake and they got it right. 

But the companions of Sufyaan ibn ‘Uyaynah differed
concerning it. 

Some of them narrated it as being the words of the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). They were: 

Muhammad ibn al-Faraj, recorded by al-Ismaa‘eeli in Mu‘jam
Shuyookhihi, 2/112; Mahmoud ibn Adam al-Marwazi, recorded by al-Bayhaqi
in al-Sunan, 4/316; Hishaam ibn ‘Ammaar, recorded by al-Tahhaawi in
Bayaan Mushkil al-Athaar, 7/40; Sa‘eed ibn Mansoor, as recorded in
al-Tahqeeq fi Ahaadeeth al-Khilaaf by Ibn al-Jawzi, 2/127. 

Some of them narrated it as being the words of Hudhayfah, as
if the isnaad ends with him (and not with the Prophet (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him)). They were: 

‘Abd al-Razzaaq in al-Musannaf, 4/348; Sa‘eed ibn ‘Abd
al-Rahmaan and Muhammad ibn Abi ‘Umar, reported by al-Faakihi in Akhbaar
Makkah, 2/149 

The more correct view – and Allah knows best – is the mawqoof
report which goes back to Hudhayfah, i.e., he said these words on the basis
of his own opinion and ijtihaad, and he did not hear it from the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). That is for the following
reasons: 

-1-

This text is narrated as the words of Hudhayfah (may Allah be
pleased with him) by another chain of narrators. It was narrated by Ibn Abi
Shaybah in al-Musannaf (2/337) and also by ‘Abd al-Razzaaq (4/347)
via Sufyaan al-Thawri from Waasil al-Ahdab from Ibraahem al-Nakha‘i who
said: Hudhayfah came to ‘Abdullah and said: Is it not amazing that your
people are observing i‘tikaaf between your house and the house of
al-Ash‘ari? – Meaning in the mosque. ‘Abdullah said: Perhaps they got it
right and you got it wrong! Hudhayfah said: Do you not know that there is no
i‘tikaaf except in three mosques: al-Masjid al-Haraam [in Makkah], al-Masjid
al-Aqsa [in Jerusalem] and Masjid Rasool-Allah (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him) [in Madinah]? There is no difference between observing i‘tikaaf
in it or in this market of yours.. 

The report of Ibraaheem al-Nakha‘i from ‘Abd-Allah ibn
Mas‘ood is acceptable to the scholars. See: Jaami‘ al-Tahseel, 141;
Sharh al-‘Ilal, 1/294 

-2-

Differences in reports from Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased
with him). It was narrated from him via other chains of narrators that he
said: There is no i‘tikaaf except in a mosque in which prayers are offered
in congregation. And he did not limit it to the three mosques at all. 

Ibn Hazm (may Allah have mercy on him) said in al-Muhalla
(5/195), after mentioning this difference of opinion: 

We say: It is uncertain whether this is from Hudhayfah or
someone else, and something uncertain cannot be definitely attributed to the
Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). If he (peace
be upon him) had said, “There is no i‘tikaaf except in the three mosques”,
Allah would have preserved it and there would have been no uncertainty
concerning it. So we are certain that he (peace be upon him) never said it.
End quote. 

-3-

The senior Sahaabah did something other than that. ‘Ali ibn
Abi Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him), ‘Aa’ishah and Ibn ‘Abbaas all
issued fatwas stating that i‘tikaaf may be observed in any mosque in which
prayers in congregation are held, and there is no proof that any of the
Sahaabah differed from them concerning that. Rather this action (i.e.,
observing i‘tikaaf in the mosque) was well-known among them in all regions,
with no objection to it, apart from what was narrated from Hudhayfah (may
Allah be pleased with him). And Allah knows best. This was stated by Shaykh
Sulaymaan al-‘Alwaan. 

To sum up, it is not correct to attribute this hadeeth to the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). It is the individual
opinion of Hudhayfah in which he differed from the rest of the Sahaabah (may
Allah be pleased with them), as he also differed from the apparent meaning
of the Holy Qur’aan which states that i‘tikaaf may be observed in any
mosque, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “while you are in
I'tikâf (i.e. confining oneself in a mosque for prayers and invocations
leaving the worldly activities) in the mosques”[al-Baqarah 2:187]. It is
not appropriate to go against the apparent meaning of the Qur’aan and the
actions of the majority of the Sahaabah on the basis of one mawqoof report
concerning which there is some uncertainty, as it was not narrated by the
authors of Saheehs or Sunans, and none of the earlier fuqaha’
issued any fatwa on that basis. Although some of the later scholars were of
this view, their ijtihaad concerning this matter was incorrect. 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said in
al-Sharh al-Mumti‘ (6/504): 

It is Sunnah to observe i‘tikaaf in any mosque in the world,
not only in the three mosques, as it was narrated from Hudhayfah ibn
al-Yamaan (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) said: “There is no i‘tikaaf except in the three
mosques.” This is a da‘eef (weak) hadeeth. 

The fact that it is da‘eef is indicated by the fact that Ibn
Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him) doubted it and said: Perhaps they
got it right and you got it wrong, or they remembered and you forgot. Thus
he regarded this ruling and this report as unsound.  

As for the ruling, it is to be found in the words: They got
it right and you got it wrong. As for his doubting the report, it is
reflected in his words: They remembered and you forgot. Human beings are
prone to forgetfulness. 

If this hadeeth is saheeh, then what it means is that there
is no perfect i‘tikaaf, i.e., in other mosques apart from the three, just as
prayers offered elsewhere are lower in status than prayers offered in the
three mosques. 

The fact that it is general in meaning and includes all
mosques is indicated by the words of Allah (interpretation of the meaning):
“while you are in I'tikâf (i.e. confining oneself in a mosque for prayers
and invocations leaving the worldly activities) in the mosques”[al-Baqarah
2:187].  

Moreover, how can this ruling in the Book of Allah be for the
ummah that stretches from east to west, then we say that it is not valid
except in the three mosques? It is far-fetched to suggest that the ruling is
mentioned in general terms to the Muslim ummah then to say that this act of
worship is not valid except in three mosques. End quote. 

And Allah knows best.