Worshipers in 12 Arab countries begin seclusion in mosques in the last ten days of the month of Ramadan, while Egypt called for the revival of this year in homes in light of the measures imposed by the authorities to stop the spread of the Corona virus.
The countries that will perform i’tikaaf in their mosques in the last ten days of Ramadan for this year, starting from Thursday evening, are Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Morocco, Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon, Sudan, Mauritania, Yemen and Somalia.
There are Arab countries that have not announced their decision regarding seclusion, and some of these countries have limited seclusion in their mosques, and in others the performance of this Sunnah may be subject to a prior request from the person wishing to do so, or prior permission from the authorities.
And Arab countries have announced the number of mosques designated for i’tikaaf, like Qatar, which decided to adopt 183 mosques, for the first time in two years after the i’tikaaf was banned due to measures to confront Corona.
Kuwait also announced the allocation of 30 retreats distributed over the six governorates of the country, while the UAE decided last March to allocate a time not exceeding 45 minutes to perform the Tahajjud prayer in the last ten days of Ramadan, without addressing the retreat.
And in Saudi Arabia, the official news agency reported - yesterday, Wednesday - that the Prophet’s Mosque will receive, starting today, Thursday, the masses of the worshipers in the last ten days, noting that their number reaches 4 thousand men and women.
The Head of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, also directed the provision of all means to serve the worshipers in the Grand Mosque, without mentioning their number.
And last March, after two years of prohibition, Saudi Arabia announced the return of i’tikaf in the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah during the month of Ramadan, after easing the procedures to confront the Corona virus.
With the decline in infections with the Corona virus, several Arab countries lifted the precautionary measures regarding the performance of mosque prayers, including the revival of the last ten days and seclusion.
And Arab countries do not announce specific procedures regarding seclusion, as the worshipers celebrate this year automatically, and each imam of a mosque is responsible for the mosque he is in from an organizational point of view.
In Egypt, the Ministry of Awqaf decided a few days ago not to allow mosques to open to perform i’tikaaf or tahajjud prayers in light of the procedures and measures to confront Corona, in reference to its urging to do it in homes as it happened in the past two years, and the ministry confirmed the same position yesterday, Wednesday.
Itikaf is one of the most prominent religious rituals for Muslims in the month of Ramadan, especially in the last ten days of Ramadan, and the person in i’tikaf usually sits in the mosques, and there is a lot of remembrance and supplication. .