Book Name:Seerate Imam Ahmad Bin Hamnbal
اَلۡـحَـمۡـدُ لِـلّٰـہِ رَبِّ الۡـعٰـلَـمِیۡنَ وَ الـصَّـلٰـوۃُ وَ الـسَّـلَامُ عَـلٰی سَـیِّـدِ الۡـمُـرۡسَـلِـیۡنَ
اَمَّـا بَــعۡـدُ فَـاَعُـوۡذُ بِـا لـلّٰـہِ مِـنَ الـشَّـیۡـطٰنِ الـرَّجِیۡمِؕ بِـسۡمِ الـلّٰـہِ الـرَّحۡـمٰنِ الـرَّحِـیۡمِؕ
Blessed Seerah of Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه
اَلصَّلٰوةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَيۡكَ يَا رَسُوۡلَ اللّٰه وَعَلٰى اٰلِكَ وَاَصۡحٰبِكَ يَا حَبِيۡبَ اللّٰه
اَلصَّلٰوةُ
وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَيۡكَ يَا نَبِيَّ اللّٰه وَعَلٰى
اٰلِكَ وَاَصۡحٰبِكَ يَا نُوۡرَ اللّٰه
نَوَيۡتُ سُنَّتَ الۡاِعۡتِكَافِ
Translation: I have made the intention of Sunnah I’tikaf.
Dear Islamic brothers! Whenever you enter a Masjid, upon remembering, make the intention of I’tikaf because as long as you stay in the Masjid you will keep getting the reward of I’tikaf. Remember! There is no Shar’i permission to eat and drink, sleep or do Sahari and Iftari even to drink Zamzam water and the water on which Dam has been made in a Masjid. However, if the intention of I’tikaf is made, all these acts will become permissible. One should not make intention to observe I’tikaf only to eat, drink or sleep, but rather he should do it for pleasing Allah Almighty.
It is stated in Fatawa Shaami: If someone wants to eat, drink, sleep in a Masjid, he should make intention to observe I’tikaf, do Zikr of Allah Almighty for some time, then whatever he wants he can do (i.e. now if he wants to eat, drink or sleep, he can do so.).
The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated:
مَنْ صَلّٰى عَلَيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ عَشْراً بِهَا مَلَكٌ مُوَكَّلٌ بِهَا حَتّٰى يُبَلِّغَنِيْهَا
‘Whoever recites Durood upon me once, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ sends 10 mercies upon him and there is an angel appointed to bring that Durood to me.’
(Mu’jam Kabeer, vol. 8, pp. 134, Raqm 7611)
صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد
Dear Islamic brothers! Before listening to the Bayan, let’s first of all make good intentions for attaining the Divine pleasure and earning rewards. The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has said, ‘نِيَّةُ الۡمُؤۡمِنِ خَيۡرٌ مِّنۡ عَمَلِه’ The intention of a Muslim is better than his deed. (Al-Mu’jam-ul-Kabeer, vol. 6, pp. 185, Hadees 5942)