I'tikaf of the Prophet Muhammad SAW: Starting from Reflection Toward Liberation

I'tikaf of the Prophet Muhammad SAW: Starting from Reflection Toward Liberation

I'tikaf of the Prophet Muhammad SAW: Starting from Reflection Toward Liberation

In the hadith it is informed that the Prophet Muhammad implemented and encouraged his companions to i'tikâf in the last ten days of the month of Ramadan (al-'asyr al-awâkhir min ramadlân) .

Etymologically, i'tikaf is staying or remaining silent while attaching oneself to something good or bad. Whereas in the terminology of Islamic law (fiqh), that is to remain silent in the mosque with the intention of seeking God's pleasure. (Az-Zu h ailî, tt: III, 1749-1751).

Jawâd 'Ali in his book, Al-Mufashshal fî Târîkh al-'Arab Qabla al-Islâm, explains that i'tikaf is part of the tradition of adherents of the Hanîf religion that developed in Mecca in pre-Islamic times. (1993: VI, 509-510, 343-344).

When the month of Ramadan arrives, followers of Hanîf will go to remote places far from crowds of people, such as caves, the middle of the Sahara, and mountains to worship and contemplate a truth ( tah annuts auw ta'abbud) or meditate. In this place, people who are in i'tikaf or “mu'takif” will not leave their hermitage unless there is a very urgent need (dlarûrah) .

The Prophet Muhammad himself, before being sent as a prophet, was part of the people who were diligent in i'tikaf or meditating in remote places. It was informed that the Prophet's uncle, Abu Talib, often ordered people to deliver food to the Prophet Muhammad who was "alone" in the cave. (Jawad Ali, 1993: IV, 404). Because of that, in a well-known history, the Prophet Muhammad, when he first received his revelation, was in a cave, that is, he was in meditation ( tah annuts ) .

This pre-Islamic Arabic tradition of I'tikaf was later adopted by the Prophet Muhammad with slight modifications, namely those originally held in a cave, mountain or sahara, by the Prophet placed in a mosque.

There are many objectives to be achieved from i'tikaf, one of the most important is as a medium for seeking and understanding the truth. In i'tikaf, a person will reflect on the reality of the society in which he lives while looking for an "imagination" of an ideal or true social order. From contemplation, "truth inspiration" will come which must be realized in the form of action. This can be understood from the journey of the Prophet Muhammad's i'tikaf before being sent to after receiving the revelation that brought the mission of liberation.

Pre-Islamic Arab society is commonly referred to as "jâhiliyyah" . According to Jawâd Ali, this term does not mean stupid, the opposite of knowledge (dliddu al-'ilmi), but stupid in the sense of being unwise, angry, violent, and prone to violence or the opposite of wise and generous (dliddu al- hilmi ) . (1993: I, 38-40).

The meaning of jâhiliyyah above describes the behavior of pre-Islamic Arab society which often committed violence and oppression of humans. In the economic sector, the Quraysh and other capital owners had monopolized wealth by treating workers roughly. In socio-politics, there are many human beings whose rights are deprived of, women are seen as not as human beings, but as property that can be bought and sold. When a girl is born, she will be killed immediately. Old people are not taken care of. Young children who have older siblings are abandoned. Humans who do not have political and economic access will easily be made slaves, and a number of other inhumane actions.

Facing the reality as above, the Prophet Muhammad undertook i'tikaf, deep contemplation to seek the ultimate truth to get inspiration (wa hyu ) , namely the Prophet must liberate those who are oppressed. The Prophet's slaves promised to free them and give them their human rights if they followed the Prophet. "Follow us, then we will give you a lineage (Ittabi'ûnî aj'alkum ansâbâ) ," the Prophet shouted to the slaves.

It is recorded in history that the people who first became followers of the Prophet consisted of people who were oppressed (mustadl'afîn) at that time, namely women, young people who did not get a proper place in their families such as Zubair bin 'Awâm, Tal h ah bin Ubaidillah, Sa'd bin Abî Waqqash and others, as well as slaves like Bilâl bin Rabâh , Khabbâb bin al-Aratt, 'Âmir bin Rabî'ah, 'Âmir bin Fuhairah and others.

From contemplation (i'tikâf) , the Prophet got a picture of an ideal life that upholds human rights and dignity. Then the Prophet manifested it in the form of liberation of oppressed people. For the Prophet, humans must be seen as equal, rights should not be distinguished just because of different gender, skin color or social status. Equality in fulfilling these basic human rights is contained in its prophetic mission which is stated in the Koran as "a mercy to the universe ( rah matan li al-'âlamîn) " .

The interpretation of i'tikaf carried out by the Prophet Muhammad above leads to the conclusion that i'tikaf is not merely an individual worship, but rather a religious ritual that must have a social impact in the form of creating an equal life order, mutual respect, and far from discrimination. This ideal, great hope can be reflected by people who have carried out i'tikaf.