What are the conditions of i'tikaf, what are the things that invalidate it, and is i'tikaf valid in a mosque where the Friday prayer is not performed?
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The questioner : He says, what are the conditions of i'tikaf? And what are the things that invalidate it? And is it valid in a mosque where the Friday prayer is not performed? Yes.
The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. I'tikaf is a recommended practice prescribed by the Shari'ah, to which Allah referred in the Qur'an, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) practiced it and approved it. So he performed i'tikaf, and his wives performed it after him, may Allah's prayers and peace be upon him. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Baqarah 2:187] It is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he performed i'tikaf for the first ten days of Ramadan, then the middle ten, seeking thereby the Night of Decree, then the last ten, and he settled on that because the Night of Decree is in the last ten days of Ramadan. And by this it is known that i'tikaf is staying in the mosque for the obedience of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), so that a person devotes himself to the worship of Allah, turning to Him and returning to Him. It is a recommended practice in the last ten days of Ramadan due to the action of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
As for other times, other than the last ten days of Ramadan, it falls under the category of a permissible thing. For this reason, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "I vowed to perform i'tikaf for a night or a day in the Sacred Mosque, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:".
And i'tikaf is valid for every Muslim, whether male or female. Is fasting a condition for it, or is it valid without fasting? There is scholarly disagreement among the scholars, some of whom said that fasting is a condition for it, and some of whom said that it is not a condition. The apparent meaning of the hadith of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) is that fasting is not a condition for it. However, it is necessary that it be in a mosque where the congregation is held. So it is not valid for a person to perform i'tikaf in a room in his house, or to perform i'tikaf in a lodge for students of knowledge or for reciters or the like. Rather, it is necessary that it be in a mosque where the congregation is held, and it is better that it be in a congregational mosque.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So that he does not have to leave for the Friday prayer. Then, what invalidates i'tikaf is direct contact with a woman through intercourse, kissing for desire, and the like, because Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) prohibited intercourse in His saying:[Al-Baqarah 2:187] And it is also invalidated if he leaves the mosque without an excuse, and it is invalidated if he leaves the mosque for buying or selling or the like. The scholars have divided the exit of the person performing i'tikaf from the mosque into three categories.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : A category that is permissible with a condition and without a condition, which is that a person goes out for what is necessary for him, such as going out to relieve himself, urination or defecation, if there is no water in the mosque with which he can do so. If there are bathrooms in the mosque where he can relieve himself, then he does not go out. And likewise, if he goes out to bring his food and drink if he does not have someone to bring them to him, then this is a necessary matter.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And the second category is what is permissible with a condition and not permissible without a condition, such as going out to visit a sick relative or a friend of his. It is a condition for his i'tikaf that he says, "I am going out to visit my sick person," or to accompany his funeral if he dies, or the like. So this is permissible with a condition and not permissible without a condition.
And a third category that is not permissible absolutely, which is going out for what contradicts i'tikaf, such as buying and selling and the like. The scholars say that this is not valid as a condition, and if he goes out based on his condition, his i'tikaf is invalidated. So the end of it is not built upon its beginning. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. I'tikaf is a recommended practice prescribed by the Shari'ah, to which Allah referred in the Qur'an, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) practiced it and approved it. So he performed i'tikaf, and his wives performed it after him, may Allah's prayers and peace be upon him. Allah the Exalted said:
And do not have relations with them as long as you are staying for worship in the mosques
ولا تباشروهن وأنتم عاكفون في المساجدAs for other times, other than the last ten days of Ramadan, it falls under the category of a permissible thing. For this reason, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "I vowed to perform i'tikaf for a night or a day in the Sacred Mosque, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Fulfill your vow
أوفِ بنذركAnd i'tikaf is valid for every Muslim, whether male or female. Is fasting a condition for it, or is it valid without fasting? There is scholarly disagreement among the scholars, some of whom said that fasting is a condition for it, and some of whom said that it is not a condition. The apparent meaning of the hadith of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) is that fasting is not a condition for it. However, it is necessary that it be in a mosque where the congregation is held. So it is not valid for a person to perform i'tikaf in a room in his house, or to perform i'tikaf in a lodge for students of knowledge or for reciters or the like. Rather, it is necessary that it be in a mosque where the congregation is held, and it is better that it be in a congregational mosque.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So that he does not have to leave for the Friday prayer. Then, what invalidates i'tikaf is direct contact with a woman through intercourse, kissing for desire, and the like, because Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) prohibited intercourse in His saying:
And do not have relations with them as long as you are staying for worship in the mosques
ولا تباشروهن وأنتم عاكفون في المساجدThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : A category that is permissible with a condition and without a condition, which is that a person goes out for what is necessary for him, such as going out to relieve himself, urination or defecation, if there is no water in the mosque with which he can do so. If there are bathrooms in the mosque where he can relieve himself, then he does not go out. And likewise, if he goes out to bring his food and drink if he does not have someone to bring them to him, then this is a necessary matter.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And the second category is what is permissible with a condition and not permissible without a condition, such as going out to visit a sick relative or a friend of his. It is a condition for his i'tikaf that he says, "I am going out to visit my sick person," or to accompany his funeral if he dies, or the like. So this is permissible with a condition and not permissible without a condition.
And a third category that is not permissible absolutely, which is going out for what contradicts i'tikaf, such as buying and selling and the like. The scholars say that this is not valid as a condition, and if he goes out based on his condition, his i'tikaf is invalidated. So the end of it is not built upon its beginning. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.