It is
preferred for the one who is making i'tikaf
to perform many supererogatory acts of
worship and to occupy himself with prayers,
reciting Qur'an, glorifying and prasing Allah,
extolling His oneness and His greatness,
asking for His forgiveness, sending
salutations on Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi
wa sallam, supplicating to Allah- that is-
all actions that bring one closer to Allah.
Included among these actions is studying and
reading books of tafsir and hadith, books on
the lives of the Prophets, peace be upon them,
books of fiqh and so on.
It is
disliked for one to engage himself in affairs
that do not concern him. at-Tirmidhi and Ibn
Majah record on the authority of Abu Basrah
that Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam
said "Part of a man's good observance of
Islam is that he leave alone what does not
concern him."
It is,
however, disliked for a person to think that
the can draw closer to Allah by not speaking.
Al-Bukhari and others record from Ibn Abbas
that while the Prophet was delivering a
speech he saw a man standing and asked about
him. The people said "He is Abu Israel.
He has vowed to stand and not to sit and not
to speak, and to fast." The Prophet said
"Order him to speak, go to the shade,
and sit, and to complete his fast." Abu
Dawud related from Ali that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said "There
is no orphanhood after one has passed the age
of maturity, and there is no non-speaking for
a day until the nightfall."