Spiritual retreat or Itikaf is a confirmed Sunnah to do it anytime, but in the last ten days of Ramadan, it is even more emphasized.
In these days of Ramadan, and during self-quarantine, it is a great opportunity to revive this spiritual Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). With good intentions, our stay-home can be more rewarding and counted as spiritual retreat.
We know that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), according to a hadith, is at every last ten days of Ramadan until he returned to his Lord, he would do the I’tikaf.
And then the hadith says that his wives would do it after him, bringing life to his legacy.
Another hadith indicates that Prophet Muhammad, every year used to do I’tikaf in the last ten days, but the year he returned to his Lord he did I’tikaf for twenty days.
I’tikaf is one of the great Sunnahs of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that we should strive to do; if we can’t do it all of the last ten days, at least as many as we can in the last ten days.
What is the Whole Purpose of I’tkaf?
The purpose of I’tikaf is to focus on our Lord; it’s to direct our hearts to our Lord; to be in a state of dhikr, to be in a state of constant remembrance of Allah; to be in a a state of reflecting upon what we should be reflecting upon…
Because when we go out into the world, there are all different types of things that distract us; but if we can cut back from that sensory overload and we can focus, and we can be in a place in the sign that we’re a believer, we feel very comfortable and hearts are open.
When we’re in the places, where we’re performing I’tikaf, then that’s when we’re free from those distractions.
Now we can direct our hearts to our Lord; and when we set out to Allah and the path to draw near to Him when we direct our hearts to Him, is that this is one of the greatest things of all that we can do.
The elixir of all elixirs is to constantly direct our heart to Allah Almighty.
May Allah allow us to revive this Sunnah amongst us and amongst the Ummah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in this blessed month of Ramadan.
(From Discovering Islam archive)