What is the ruling on the one in i'tikaf (spiritual retreat in the mosque) leaving his place of retreat out of necessity?
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Question:
Your Eminence the Shaykh, the brothers have asked a lot about leaving their place of retreat. Some of them leave to go to their cars to change their clothes, some leave twice for iftar (breaking the fast) and suhur (the pre-dawn meal), some to use the phone to check on their families, others to book a ticket, some to take a bath, and other necessities. Does this affect their i'tikaf? Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
Yes, frequent leaving and leaving without need affects the i'tikaf, because the meaning of i'tikaf is that the person remains in the mosque. If his leaving is repeated, his sitting in the mosque decreases. He only leaves for what he must, for what he must.
Like relieving himself, he leaves to the restroom to relieve himself, he leaves for wudu' (the ablution for prayer), he leaves to bring food that no one brings for him because it is a necessity. This and this does not affect his i'tikaf if he leaves for a necessity he must have; this does not harm his i'tikaf.
As for if he leaves for a need that he can do without, that is not necessary, then this affects his i'tikaf. This is the rule in i'tikaf,
Your Eminence the Shaykh, the brothers have asked a lot about leaving their place of retreat. Some of them leave to go to their cars to change their clothes, some leave twice for iftar (breaking the fast) and suhur (the pre-dawn meal), some to use the phone to check on their families, others to book a ticket, some to take a bath, and other necessities. Does this affect their i'tikaf? Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
Yes, frequent leaving and leaving without need affects the i'tikaf, because the meaning of i'tikaf is that the person remains in the mosque. If his leaving is repeated, his sitting in the mosque decreases. He only leaves for what he must, for what he must.
Like relieving himself, he leaves to the restroom to relieve himself, he leaves for wudu' (the ablution for prayer), he leaves to bring food that no one brings for him because it is a necessity. This and this does not affect his i'tikaf if he leaves for a necessity he must have; this does not harm his i'tikaf.
As for if he leaves for a need that he can do without, that is not necessary, then this affects his i'tikaf. This is the rule in i'tikaf,
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، ما حكم خروج المعتكف من معتكفه للضرورة؟ للشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.