itikaaf in places of innovation

Question ID: 
2036
ahm***@gmail.com asks:

Question

Asm Dear Mufti

I would be most grateful for your guidance. Is it ok to do ihtikaf during the last ten days of Ramadan in a masjid where Friday Kutba is in creole and where 8 rakaat tarawih are performed.

Jazakallah

Answer

A. Walaikum salaam warahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

Respected brother,

With regards to your query regarding Itikaaf in the said Masjid, Know that the mainstream Hanafi Ulama are of the view that Khutba should be in the Arabic language like how Rasulullah Sallallahu alaihi wasalllam did as well as his companions. His companions went far and wide into Non Arab lands but they still maintain the Jummah Khutbah, which is a salient feature of Islam, in the Arabic Language. Likewise, Umar Radiallahu anhu and the other Sahabah unanimously read 20 rakaats of Taraweeh and they were more aware of the Sunnah than us. Hence, we consider the act of going against these 2 practices as reprehensible and an act of innovation.

Therefore, to gain maximum rewards for your Itikaaf, we suggest that you do it in Masjid which maintain the Arabic Khutbah as well as the 20 rakaats Taraweeh.

And Allah knows best

Answered by:
(Mf) Bilal
For the Jamiatul Ulama of Mauritius