Fasting and Dawah Ilallah CONTENTS

ten days; in the year in which he passed away, he observed itikaf for twenty days.”(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 2044) The purpose of itikaf is to engage in muhasaba, which means introspection. During this practice, one finds time to reflect on one’s life, one’s past and present, and what course to follow in the future. The ten-day period of itikaf requires a person to undergo overhauling in the spiritual sense. During Itikaf one distances completely from the world and turns to God, undertakes introspection and reads the Quran more deeply to understand its message. This practice is like taking a spiritual bath by making oneself a more awakened person. During itikaf a Muslim tries to look at himself in the divine mirror. When a person goes into itikaf and studies the Quran in seclusion, he discovers the Quran again with reference to the new situations he may be facing. This practice keeps the Muslim