Question Summary:
In our town nearly 6 masjid’s are available (nearly around 1/2 km). It is necessary to observe i’tikaf in each and every masjid during the last 10 nights of ramadan. Or else it is enough

Question Detail:

In our town nearly 6 masjid’s are available (nearly around 1/2 km).  It is necessary to observe i’tikaf in each and every masjid during the last 10 nights of ramadan.  Or else it is enough to observe any one person in any one masjid within the town. 
 
Because according to your fatwa no. 13568 dated 11/10/05 “the sin of abandoning the sunnah will be upon the entire community if no one observes i’tikâf in a town or village”. 
I am awaiting your earlier quote for the above query.

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
 
I’tikāf of the last ten nights of Ramadhān is sunna al-kifāyah. It is necessary for some members of a town to perform i’tikāf in the masjid or else the entire town would be sinful. If a town has more than one masjid, then it would be ideal that i’tikāf is performed in every masjid. However, if it is not possible to find people to perform i’tikāf in every masjid, then i’tikāf in one masjid would suffice. This is the ruling issued by Mawlāna Abdul Hayy Lukhnawi (rahimahullāh) as well as other Mufti’s.
 
الاعتكاف على تقدير كونه سنة كفاية كما هو الحق ، هل هو سنة كفاية على اهل البلدة كصلاة الجنازة ام سنة كفاية على اهل كل محلة كصلاة التراويح بالجماعة؟
فظاهر عباراتهم يقتضى الاول، ففى مجمع الانهر شرح ملتقى الابحر بأسرهم يلحقهم الاساءة والا فلا كالتأذين، انتهى. وقال الطحطاوى فى شرح قول الحصكفى: اي سنة كفاية اذا قام بها البعض ولو فرد اسقطت عن الباقين،  انتهى. ومثله فى شرح النقاية لعلى القاري وغيره.
 (الانصاف فى حكم الاعتكاف (للامام عبد الحى اللكنوى) _ (ص 36,الدار البشائر)
 
(فتاوي محمودية ،10/260، فاروقية)
 
(احسن الفتاوي ، 4/508، سعيد)
 
And Allah knows best
Wassalaamu `alaykum
Ml. Talha Desai,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah