Darulifta Ahlesunnat
(Dawateislami)
Question
What do the
honourable scholars state in this regard: I serve as Imam in a masjid. Whenever someone in our neighbourhood passes away, I
lead their janāza. Normally, there is nobody to
lead it besides me.
I now intend
to perform Sunnah Iʿtikāf. The people of
my neighbourhood say, if somebody was to pass away whilst I was in ‘Iʿtikāf, there will be
nobody to lead their janāza. They ask me to not perform Iʿtikāf for this
reason.
Outside the
masjid, there is a field designated for janāza.
This field is neither a part of ʿayn-e -masjid nor part of
fināʾ-e-masjid.While performing ‘Iʿtikāf, am I
allowed to leave the masjid to lead janāza prayers? From
Muhammad Arif Siyalvi
بِسْمِ اللہِ
الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ
الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
If a muʿtakif (the one sitting Iʿtikāf) leaves the
masjid for a janāza
prayer, his Iʿtikāf will be
rendered void. This will remain the case, even if no-one else is available to
lead the janāza.
If you perform Iʿtikāf, the people of
the neighbourhood should arrange for someone else to lead janāza
instead. Also, janāza can be performed in
Fina-e-Masjid, if the Masjid you are performing Iʿtikāf in has such an
area. This can only be done if reaching Fina-e-Masjid does not involve you
leaving the Masjid at all. Also remember, it is not permissible to perform janāza in ‘Ain-e-Masjid.
If you have no choice but to leave the Masjid in
order to lead a janāza, and you enter the field
used to perform janāza; which is not Fina-e-Masjid
but a separate place from the Masjid altogether, your Iʿtikāf will be
rendered void and will break.
Whenever Iʿtikāf breaks, it is
necessary to make up for it. The method of doing this, is to reach the Masjid
before sunset, with the intention of making up for Iʿtikāf. Keep a fast
the next day, and after performing Maghrib Salah you may return home. Your Iʿtikāf will be atoned
for.
The meaning
of having no choice but to leave the Masjid, as was said earlier, entails that
there is nobody besides you capable of leading the janāza.
Without this compulsion, it is impermissible to break Iʿtikāf.
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَرَسُوْلُہ
اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ
وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم
Written by: Mufti
Muhammad Qasim Attari