What is Itikaf?
Itikaf is one of the greatest traditions of Islam that in recent years has seen an incredible increase in interest and devotion. Many young people from around the world, just like yourselves, are finding out about this ancient practice and are applying it to their lives. In these times when we see people dedicating themselves wholly to the pursuit of pleasure and material gain, itikaf gives us a way out. In Arabic the literal meaning of Itikaf is to stay in one place. Itikaf is the staying in a masjid for a set number of days for the sake of gaining nearness to god. While in this event we are not going to be doing a full out (wajib) itikaf, we will be doing a type of mustahab Itikaaf which has many of the same benefits without obligating anyone to stay for the full time.
Why are we doing this?
Itikaf is one of the greatest traditions of Islam that in recent years has seen an incredible increase in interest and devotion. Many young people from around the world, just like yourselves, are finding out about this ancient practice and are applying it to their lives. In these times when we see people dedicating themselves wholly to the pursuit of pleasure and material gain, itikaf gives us a way out. In Arabic the literal meaning of Itikaf is to stay in one place. Itikaf is the staying in a masjid for a set number of days for the sake of gaining nearness to god. While in this event we are not going to be doing a full out (wajib) itikaf, we will be doing a type of mustahab Itikaaf which has many of the same benefits without obligating anyone to stay for the full time.
Why are we doing this?
One of the biggest challenges that people face today is the unbridled pursuit of this material world at the expense and loss of the next world. We think about work, school, amusement, and entertainment so much that it takes over us; what about the world that is to come and that lasts for eternity? Do we have habits that we are stuck with and are unable to change? Do we have problems with how we see the world? Itikaf is an opportunity to get away from all of these things (good and bad) and spend 2 full days worshipping god alone and thinking about all of these issues. In these full 2 days we can truly reflect on the good we are doing, the bad that we do and how to change it all for the best.
How can it affect your life?
How can it affect your life?
Itikaf gives us breathing space and thinking room. The things that we do everyday (even things like praying and fasting) sometimes become habit; we stop thinking about why we are doing them. At this point even our good actions become mindless rituals; they stop having the full effect they were meant to have. When the things we do become normal they lose significance . Itikaf is an opportunity to truly reflect on how we are living our lives and to finally make a change that will affect our lives for the better.
Why are we doing the mustahab Itikaf instead of the Wajib one?
Why are we doing the mustahab Itikaf instead of the Wajib one?
Besides this itikaf we will also be visiting a graveyard and due to time constraints the Etikaf will last 2 days. In a wajib itikaf we have to spend a full 3 days and also we would be unable to leave the masjid. Furthermore Wajib itikafs are done in actual masajids (one that has had the dua recited over it) and since there are very few of these masjids actually in existence we have choosen to do the mustahab version, which has many of the same benefits as the wajib Itikaf.