Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Book 33:

# Retiring to a Mosque for Remembrance of Allah (I'tikaf)

Volume 3, Book 33, Number 242:

> Narrated Abdullah bin Umar:

> Allah's Apostle used to practise Itikaf in the last ten days of the month of Ramadan.

Volume 3, Book 33, Number 243:

> Narrated 'Aisha:

> (the wife of the Prophet) The Prophet used to practice Itikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan till he died and then his wives used to practice Itikaf after him.

Volume 3, Book 33, Number 244:

> Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri:

> Allah's Apostle used to practice Itikaf in the middle ten days of Ramadan and once he stayed in Itikaf till the night of the twenty-first and it was the night in the morning of which he used to come out of his Itikaf. The Prophet said, "Whoever was in Itikaf with me should stay in Itikaf for the last ten days, for I was informed (of the date) of the Night (of Qadr) but I have been caused to forget it. (In the dream) I saw myself prostrating in mud and water in the morning of that night. So, look for it in the last ten nights and in the odd ones of them." It rained that night and the roof of the mosque dribbled as it was made of leaf stalks of date-palms. I saw with my own eyes the mark of mud and water on the forehead of the Prophet (i.e. in the morning of the twenty-first).

Volume 3, Book 33, Number 245:

> Narrated 'Aisha:

> The Prophet used to (put) bend his head (out) to me while he was in Itikaf in the mosque during my monthly periods and I would comb and oil his hair.

Volume 3, Book 33, Number 246:

> Narrated 'Aisha:

> (the wife of the Prophet) Allah's Apostle used to let his head in (the house) while he was in the mosque and I would comb and oil his hair. When in Itikaf he used not to enter the house except for a need.

Volume 3, Book 33, Number 247:

> Narrated 'Aisha:

> The Prophet used to embrace me during my menses. He also used to put his head out of the mosque while he was in Itikaf, and I would wash it during my menses.

Volume 3, Book 33, Number 248:

> Narrated Ibn 'Umar:

> Umar asked the Prophet "I vowed in the Pre-lslamic period of ignorance to stay in Itikaf for one night in Al-Masjid al-Haram." The Prophet said to him, "Fulfill your vow."

Volume 3, Book 33, Number 249:

> Narrated 'Amra:

> Aisha said, "the Prophet used to practice Itikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan and I used to pitch a tent for him, and after offering the morning prayer, he used to enter the tent." Hafsa asked the permission of 'Aisha to pitch a tent for her and she allowed her and she pitched her tent. When Zainab bint Jahsh saw it, she pitched another tent. In the morning the Prophet noticed the tents. He said, 'What is this?" He was told of the whole situation. Then the Prophet said, "Do you think that they intended to do righteousness by doing this?" He therefore abandoned the Itikaf in that month and practiced Itikaf for ten days in the month of Shawwal."

Volume 3, Book 33, Number 250:

> Narrated 'Aisha:

> The Prophet intended to practice Itikaf and when he reached the place where he intended to perform Itikaf, he saw some tents, the tents of 'Aisha, Hafsa and Zainab. So, he said, "Do you consider that they intended to do righteousness by doing this?" And then he went away and did not perform Itikaf (in Ramadan) but performed it in the month of Shawwal for ten days.

Volume 3, Book 33, Number 251:

> Narrated Ali bin Al-Husain:

> Safiya, the wife of the Prophet told me that she went to Allah's Apostle to visit him in the mosque while he was in Itikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan. She had a talk with him for a while, then she got up in order to return home. The Prophet accompanied her. When they reached the gate of the mosque, opposite the door of Um-Salama, two Ansari men were passing by and they greeted Allah's Apostle . He told them: Do not run away! And said, "She is (my wife) Safiya bint Huyai." Both of them said, "Subhan Allah, (How dare we think of any evil) O Allah's Apostle!" And they felt it. The Prophet said (to them), "Satan reaches everywhere in the human body as blood reaches in it, (everywhere in one's body). I was afraid lest Satan might insert an evil thought in your minds."

Volume 3, Book 33, Number 252:

> Narrated Abu Salama bin 'Abdur-Rahman:

> I asked Abu Said Al-Khudri, "Did you hear Allah's Apostle talking about the Night of Qadr?" He replied in the affirmative and said, "Once we were in Itikaf with Allah's Apostle in the middle ten days of (Ramadan) and we came out of it in the morning of the twentieth, and Allah's Apostle- delivered a sermon on the 20th (of Ramadan) and said, 'I was informed (of the date) of the Night of Qadr (in my dream) but had forgotten it. So, look for it in the odd nights of the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan. I saw myself prostrating in mud and water on that night (as a sign of the Night of Qadr). So, whoever had been in Itikaf with Allah's Apostle should return for it.' The people returned to the mosque (for Itikaf). There was no trace of clouds in the sky. But all of a sudden a cloud came and it rained. Then the prayer was established (they stood for the prayer) and Allah's Apostle prostrated in mud and water and I saw mud over the forehead and the nose of the Prophet.

Volume 3, Book 33, Number 253:

> Narrated 'Aisha:

> One of the wives of Allah's Apostle practiced Itikaf with him while she ad bleeding in between her periods and she would see red (blood) or yellowish traces, and sometimes we put a tray beneath her when she offered the prayer.

Volume 3, Book 33, Number 254:

> Narrated 'Ali bin Al-Husain (from Safiya, the Prophet's wife):

> The wives of the Prophet were with him in the mosque (while he was in Itikaf) and then they departed and the Prophet said to Safiya bint Huyai, "Don't hurry up, for I shall accompany you," (and her dwelling was in the house of Usama). The Prophet went out and in the meantime two Ansari men met him and they looked at the Prophet and passed by. The Prophet said to them, "Come here. She is (my wife) Safiya bint Huyai." They replied, "Subhan Allah, (How dare we think of evil) O Allah's Apostle! (we never expect anything bad from you)." The Prophet replied, "Satan circulates in the human being as blood circulates in the body, and I was afraid lest Satan might insert an evil thought in your minds."

Volume 3, Book 33, Number 255:

> Narrated 'Ali bin Al-Husain from Safiya:

> Safiya went to the Prophet while he was in Itikaf. When she returned, the Prophet accompanied her walking. An Ansari man saw him. When the Prophet noticed him, he called him and said, "Come here. She is Safiya. (Sufyan a sub-narrator perhaps said that the Prophet had said, "This is Safiya"). And Satan circulates in the body of Adam's offspring as his blood circulates in it."

> (A sub-narrator asked Sufyan, "Did Safiya visit him at night?" He said, "Of course, at night.")

Volume 3, Book 33, Number 256:

> Narrated Abu Said:

> We practiced Itikaf with Allah's Apostle in the middle ten days (of Ramadan). In the morning of the twentieth (of Ramadan) we shifted our baggage, but Allah's Apostle came to us and said, "Whoever was m Itikaf should return to his place of Itikaf, for I saw (i.e. was informed about the date of) this Night (of Qadr) and saw myself prostrating in mud and water." When I returned to my place the sky was overcast with clouds and it rained. By Him Who sent Muhammad with the Truth, the sky was covered with clouds from the end of that day, and the mosque which was roofed with leaf-stalks of date palm trees (leaked with rain) and I saw the trace of mud and water over the nose of the Prophet and its tip.

Volume 3, Book 33, Number 257:

> Narrated 'Amra bint 'Abdur-Rahman from 'Aisha:

> Allah's Apostle used to practice Itikaf every year in the month of Ramadan. And after offering the morning prayer, he used to enter the place of his Itikaf. 'Aisha asked his permission to let her practice Itikaf and he allowed her, and so she pitched a tent in the mosque. When Hafsa heard of that, she also pitched a tent (for herself), and when Zainab heard of that, she too pitched another tent. When, in the morning, Allah's Apostle had finished the morning prayer, he saw four tents and asked, "What is this?" He was informed about it. He then said, "What made them do this? Is it righteousness? Remove the tents, for I do not want to see them." So, the tents were removed. The Prophet did not perform Itikaf that year in the month of Ramadan, but did it in the last ten days of Shawwal.

Volume 3, Book 33, Number 258:

> Narrated Abdullah bin Umar:

> 'Umar bin Al-Khattab said, "O Allah's Apostle! I vowed in the Pre-lslamic period to perform Itikaf in Al-Masjid-al-Haram for one night." The Prophet said, "Fulfill your vow." So, he performed Itikaf for one night.

Volume 3, Book 33, Number 259:

> Narrated Ibn 'Umar:

> that 'Umar had vowed in the Pre-lslamic period to perform Itikaf in Al-Masjid-al-Haram. (A sub-narrator thinks that 'Umar vowed to perform Itikaf for one night.) Allah's Apostle said to 'Umar, "Fulfill your vow."

Volume 3, Book 33, Number 260:

> Narrated Abu Huraira:

> The Prophet used to perform Itikaf every year in the month of Ramadan for ten days, and when it was the year of his death, he stayed in Itikaf for twenty days.

Volume 3, Book 33, Number 261:

> Narrated 'Amra bint 'AbdurRahman from 'Aisha: Allah's Apostle mentioned that he would practice Itikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan. 'Aisha asked his permission to perform Itikaf and he permitted her. Hafsa asked 'Aisha to take his permission for

Volume 3, Book 33, Number 262:

> Narrated 'Urwa:

> Aisha during her menses used to comb and oil the hair of the Prophet while he used to be in Itikaf in the mosque. He would stretch out his head towards her while she was in her chamber.

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