Some brothers from the U.S.A. go to Madinah specially to observe the I'tikaaf of the last ten days of Ramadhaan.

Answer

It is not advisable. The brothers should remain in their hometowns for I'tikaaf. It is not advisable to spend so much money and to undergo journies and become involved in sins unintentionally along the route for making I'tikaaf in the Haram Shareef. The brothers lack in understanding. They should put their money to constructive use. There are millions of suffering Muslims on whom the money could be spent, thereby gaining tremendous amounts of thawaab, far, far in excess of the thawaab for undergoing a journey to sit in I'tikaaf in Madinah Munawwarah. The thawaab of assisting a Muslim in need is the equivalent of a thousand I'tikaaf. Thus Hadhrat Abdullah Ibn Abbaas (radhiyallahu anhu) nullified his I'tikaaf specifically to aid a brother in distress.