Definition of I'tikaf, Its Conditions, and Its Rulings

The Shaykh:
May Allah greet you and bless you.

The questioner:
Honorable Shaykh, here is a set of questions regarding i'tikaf. The first is: What is the meaning of i'tikaf, and what is its maximum and minimum duration?

The Shaykh:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions. After that: Among the deeds performed in the month of Ramadan is i'tikaf. Although i'tikaf is also performed outside of Ramadan, because it is an act of worship, worship of Allah the Mighty and Majestic, it is done at any time, but doing it in Ramadan is better.
Following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Linguistically, i'tikaf means staying in a place. As for its meaning in the Shari'ah, i'tikaf is remaining in a mosque where congregational prayer is performed, for the sake of worshipping Allah the Mighty and Majestic, seclusion, and dedicating oneself to the worship of Allah the Mighty and Majestic through prayers, recitation of the Qur'an, and the remembrance of Allah the Mighty and Majestic. This is i'tikaf.
It is prescribed. Allah the Exalted said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform i'tikaf for the middle ten days, then he began to perform it for the last ten days, and he passed away (peace and blessings be upon him) while still doing so. His wives and his Companions performed i'tikaf after him. Therefore, i'tikaf is a confirmed sunnah (recommended practice), established by the Book, the Sunnah, and the consensus of the scholars. However, it is conditioned that it be in a mosque where congregational prayer is held, so that one does not abandon congregational prayer. It is also conditioned that one does not approach his wife with intercourse while in i'tikaf. Allah the Exalted said: If he engages in intercourse at night while in i'tikaf, his i'tikaf is invalid.
If he engages in i'tikaf during the day while fasting, his i'tikaf is invalid and his fast is invalid. As we mentioned, i'tikaf is in mosques where congregational prayer is performed. As for seclusion that cuts one off from the Friday prayer and congregational prayer, it is an innovated and forbidden seclusion. It was mentioned to Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that a man would stand in prayer at night and fast during the day, but he did not attend the Friday prayer or congregational prayer. He said, "He is in the Fire." Therefore, the jurists (may Allah have mercy on them) stated that it is a condition for i'tikaf that it be in a mosque where congregational prayer is held. It must not be in other than a mosque, nor in an abandoned mosque where congregational prayer is not held, nor in a place where a person prays in his house or a woman prays in her house. This is not considered i'tikaf, because one of the conditions of i'tikaf is that it be in a mosque, and that this mosque be one where congregational prayer is held. Yes.