I'tikaf: A Spiritual Rebuttal to Secular Stereotypes

I'tikaf
A Sign of Deep Faith of Iranian Youth in Islam

One of the claims that media outlets affiliated with the U.S. capitalist system and the Zionist regime try to portray as a stereotypical image of Iranians worldwide is that Iranians are not as religious as they were decades ago and that their religious beliefs have been damaged. In particular, they claim that Iranian teenagers and the new generation are non-religious.

One of the important and large events that challenges this claim and shows that this image is fake and false about Iranians and their youth is the religious ritual of I'tikaf. I'tikaf is a three-day period during which a person stays in the mosque, dedicates time to worship, reading the Quran, and reflecting on their lifestyle. It is a religious ritual held away from excitement and propaganda and is considered a manifestation of heartfelt beliefs.

In recent years, I'tikaf has hosted a large number of Iranian youth and teenagers who try during the special days of this ritual to go to mosques across the country and spend three days in solitude with themselves and God. On average, participation in I'tikaf has increased by 20% in recent years. For example, in 2024, over 80% of participants in I'tikaf were young people and teenagers.

The ritual of I'tikaf is another example showing that contrary to the false image propagated by American, European, and Israeli media, Iranians have a strong attachment to their religious and Islamic beliefs and have great trust in the Islamic government of Iran.