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Is it permissible for one who is observing i‘tikaaf to leave the mosque in order to wake his family up for sahoor, then come back?

27-08-2010

Question 130626

If the person who is observing i‘tikaaf comes out of his place of i‘tikaaf to wake his family up for sahoor, and that is because there is no one at home, is this regarded as contrary to the conditions of i‘tikaaf?.

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

The one who enters i‘tikaaf should not leave his place of i‘tikaaf during his i‘tikaaf, except for necessary, unavoidable reasons and to tend to his needs, such as bringing food and drink if there is no one who can bring them for him, and relieving himself if there are no washrooms in the mosque. There is nothing wrong with him going out at the time of sahoor to wake his family up so that they can eat sahoor at the proper time, and to wake them up to pray Fajr if they cannot wake up by themselves and there is no one else who can wake them up, because that comes under the heading of encouraging one another to do good and enjoining them to do what is right. If an obligatory duty cannot be done without a thing, then that thing becomes obligatory. But he should not sit at home after waking his family up; he should go back to his place of i‘tikaaf in the mosque. 

And Allah is the source of strength. May Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and Companions. End quote. 

Fasting Al-Itikaaf
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