The Beginning and End of I'tikaf

Question:
The questioner asks: When does i'tikaf begin and when does it end?

Answer:
The last ten days: one begins on the first day. When he prays Fajr, he enters his place of i'tikaf. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did this when he intended the last ten days. As for other times, he has a choice; even if he does not perform i'tikaf for the entire ten days, there is no fixed limit. If he does not perform i'tikaf except for one day or one night, there is no harm, whether in Ramadan or otherwise. However, the best is to perform i'tikaf for all ten days in Ramadan; this is the best, following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). When he prayed Fajr on the first of the eleventh day, he would enter his place of i'tikaf, as Sa'id (may Allah be pleased with him) said. The one performing i'tikaf attends the circles of knowledge in the mosque, talks to his brothers when they visit him, reads the Qur'an, supplicates to Allah, and engages in tasbih and tahlil, among other things.