Encouraging the seizing of the last ten days of Ramadan and exhorting to i'tikaf (spiritual retreat in the mosque).

The Shaykh : O my brothers, we are approaching the last ten days of Ramadan in these days, which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to single out for i'tikaf (spiritual retreat in the mosque) and for keeping the entire night awake, seeking the Night of Decree. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performed i'tikaf in the first ten days, then it occurred to him to perform i'tikaf in the middle ten days, then he was told that it is in the last ten days, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed i'tikaf in the last ten days only. For this reason, it is not prescribed for a person to perform i'tikaf from the beginning of this month, because this is an addition, an addition to an act of obedience that was established on specific days, namely the days of the last ten days, seeking the Night of Decree. The Night of Decree is undoubtedly in the last ten days of Ramadan. If a person performs i'tikaf before the last ten days, we do not say that this is forbidden, because prohibition requires conclusive evidence. However, we say: this is contrary to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Here is the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) who performed i'tikaf in the first ten days, then the middle ten days, and left that off, even though his custom was that when he did a deed, he would continue it. But because i'tikaf was based on a cause, which is seeking the Night of Decree, and the Night of Decree does not occur except in the last ten days, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) singled out the last ten days for i'tikaf.