Iʿtikāf
Definition
I'tikaf is the practice of retreating into the mosque for a concentrated period of worship — most commonly in the last ten nights of Ramadan, following the prophetic practice. During i'tikaf, the person minimises all worldly engagement and dedicates the time entirely to prayer, Quran recitation, dhikr, and supplication. Al-Ghazali presents i'tikaf as the pinnacle of Ramadan practice: the month of fasting culminates in a period of near-total withdrawal from the world that gives the believer a taste of what the heart could be if it were never distracted by worldly demands.
As understood in the classical tradition of Imam al-Ghazali and the scholars of his school.
Appears in
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