Assalamu Alaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
An idea is being promoted by certain Deobandi Ulama that there is no more virtuous action than I’tikaaf in the last 10 days of Ramadhan & the undeniable impression that is given is that even going out in Jamaat is of lesser importance. If, as you allude in your answers, that one person is sufficient to fulfil the obligation of I’tikaaf, then surely the rest of the Jamaat brothers should spend their time in Jamat, taking in to account the current state of the Ummah (many people don’t perform Salah). Is my aforementioned assertion correct?
I am aware however that those Ulama that want everybody to sit in I’tikaaf, use what I believe to be a Hadith to the nearest effect that a person in I’tikaaf gets reward for all the other actions performed outside thereby they get reward for all the Gusht, going out in Jamat etc? Therefore, they argue that it is not as important to go in Jamat or go for Gusht because the reward of that will be gained by sitting in I’tikaaf. Is this correct?
