Question Summary:
Women doing I’tikaf without husband’s permission

Question Detail:

I understand that it is obligatory for a woman to obtain permission from her husband to obtain aitikaaf. But is obtaining permission by a woman from her husband also mandatory if her husband does not live with her and prefers not to contribution in her daily life? My step father lives with his other wife and children. He hasn't visited my mother in months and does not give her any allowance for her expenses. My mother asked for permission from my step-father for aitikaaf on phone, but he reufsed to grant her permission without giving a reason. Based on previous years experience, it is extremely also unlikely that that he would visit my mother for any reason during these 10 days, which makes his refusal to grant her permission even more strange. Can my mother observe aitikaaf without my step father's permission in this case ?

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Your step fathers attitude towards your mother is unfortunately incorrect.

In the circumstances explained by you, your mother may observe I’tikaf. If her husband comes to her and approaches her to fulfil his personal needs, then he may do so. In that instance, the I’tikaf will be broken.

According to your explanation, it is unlikely that he will visit your mother, hence her I’tikaf will be valid.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Tareque Ahmed

Student Darul Iftaa
New York, USA

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai. 

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الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (2/ 450)

(قَوْلُهُ وَلَوْ كَانَ وَطْؤُهُ خَارِجَ الْمَسْجِدِ) عَمَّمَهُ تَبَعًا لِلدُّرَرِ إشَارَةً إلَى رَدِّ مَا فِي الْعِنَايَةِ وَغَيْرِهَا مِنْ أَنَّ الْمُعْتَكِفَ إنَّمَا يَكُونُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ، فَلَا يَتَهَيَّأُ لَهُ الْوَطْءُ ثُمَّ قَالَ: وَأَوَّلُوهُ بِأَنَّهُ جَازَ لَهُ الْخُرُوجُ لِلْحَاجَةِ الْإِنْسَانِيَّةِ، فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ يَحْرُمُ عَلَيْهِ الْوَطْءُ وَذَكَرَ فِي شَرْحِ التَّأْوِيلَاتِ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَخْرُجُونَ وَيَقْضُونَ حَاجَتَهُمْ فِي الْجِمَاعِ ثُمَّ يَغْتَسِلُونَ فَيَرْجِعُونَ إلَى مُعْتَكَفِهِمْ فَنَزَلَ قَوْله تَعَالَى - {وَلا تُبَاشِرُوهُنَّ وَأَنْتُمْ عَاكِفُونَ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ} [البقرة: 187]- اهـ قَالَ الشَّيْخُ إسْمَاعِيلُ وَفِيهِ نَظَرٌ لِإِمْكَانِ الْوَطْءِ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ وَإِنْ كَانَ فِيهِ حُرْمَةٌ مِنْ جِهَةٍ أُخْرَى وَهِيَ حُلُولُ الْجُنُبِ فِيهِ عَلَى أَنَّهُ يَحْتَمِلُ أَنْ تَكُونَ الزَّوْجَةُ مُعْتَكِفَةً فِي مَسْجِدِ بَيْتِهَا فَيَأْتِيَهَا فِيهِ زَوْجُهَا فَيَبْطُلَ اعْتِكَافُهَا

فتح القدير للكمال ابن الهمام (2/ 394)

وَلَا يَجُوزُ أَنْ تَخْرُجَ مِنْ بَيْتِهَا وَلَا إلَى نَفْسِ الْبَيْتِ مِنْ مَسْجِدِ بَيْتِهَا إذَا اعْتَكَفَتْ وَاجِبًا أَوْ نَفْلًا عَلَى رِوَايَةِ الْحَسَنِ، وَلَا تَعْتَكِفُ إلَّا بِإِذْنِ زَوْجِهَا، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَأْذَنْ كَانَ لَهُ أَنْ يَأْتِيَهَا، وَإِذَا أَذِنَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ أَنْ يَأْتِيَهَا وَلَا يَمْنَعَهَا

جامع الفتاوي 5/333

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