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Question ID: 742 Category: Permissible and Impermissible
Ruling on Mosque and Itikaf

Assalamu alaikum 

I am a volunteer in a Masjid. This is a new Masjid that was started up in March of this year. As the month of Ramadan comes to an end and people are preparing for I’tikaf, a few questions were raised and need to be addressed. The masjid building has not yet been renovated to fit the criteria of a traditional masjid.  

The showering facility in this building is not yet fully functional so if someone is performing I’tikaf here, is it permissible for the person to go home and shower then come right back? Or would that invalidate the I’tikaf?

 

A second question I have is more of a need for my education as well as our intention to the right thing by Shariah.

Why do we need to declare Niyyat of masjid boundaries? What is the actual purpose of such a declaration?

I have learned that it is best to declare a small area then expand upon that because once the area has been declared it cannot be reduced but can be expanded. If I understand the purpose of declaring an area (ihatah) for the masjid area then I can see how much area to include right now. One of the purposes of this ihatah declaration is to accommodate the need for I’tikaf.

I request a Hanafi Maslak based decision in these matters please.

 

Please feel free to call me to discuss in detail if you wish.

الجواب وبالله التوفيق

  • In the state of ‘Itikaf, it is impermissible to leave the mosque unless one has a need to perform a ghusl which has become wajib. Other than that, it is impermissible to leave the mosque even if the ghusl is for performing jummah.
  • People who are establishing the space for, or are in the process of designing, a mosque, who have specified (with intention) a certain area as the mosque, then permitted people to perform azan and salah in that area and then established it as the mosque moving forward (forever), then that area will be considered as Shar‘ai After that it is considered impermissible to perform any such actions in that area which are impermissible to be performed in a mosque, such as entering that area in the state of janabah(impurity due to marital relations) or menstruation. Similarly for the mo‘takif(the one who is performing ‘Itikaf) it is impermissible to leave that specified area. The primary reason for setting such boundaries is in order to ensure that the rules and regulations of the Shar‘ai Mosque are followed. Therefore, in the beginning it is correct to set such boundaries to an area which is absolutely required for the mosque and expand it as and when the need arises.

اجل لہ ساحۃ لا بناء فیھا امر قوماًان یصلوا فیھا بجماعۃ فھذا علی ثلاثۃ اوجہ احدھا اما ان امرھم بالصلوۃ فیھا ابدا انصابان قال صلوا فیھا ابدا او امرھم بالصلوۃ مطلقا ونوی رعد بدخفی ھذ ین الوجھین صارت الساحۃ مسجدا (حاشیہ فتاوی محمودیہ، ص 240، ج 21

واللہ اعلم بالصواب

Answered on: 14 November 2019 | 17 Rabiul-Awal 1441 Answer By: Mufti Abdus-Sattar Sahib Checked By: Mufti Mohammed Navalur Rahman