What is the ruling on breaking off i'tikaf (spiritual retreat in the mosque) and leaving it?

The questioner : The questioner says: We are currently in i'tikaf, and one of the brothers informed us that there is a meeting at the school. Should we leave the i'tikaf?

The Shaykh : What? That

The questioner : That we have a meeting at the school. Should we leave the i'tikaf and go?

The Shaykh : If this meeting that was scheduled at the school was known to you before you entered i'tikaf, and you made the condition that you would leave for it, then there is no harm. However, if it was not known to you, and you are invited to attend this meeting, then leave the i'tikaf. Because the invitation from the one in authority, the school principal, in this case requires that you attend, so attend this meeting. You will receive the reward for the i'tikaf you have already performed. The original ruling for i'tikaf is a recommended practice (sunnah) and not obligatory, so a person may leave i'tikaf without any reason, because for all acts of worship that are not obligatory, a person is permitted to leave them without a reason, except for one act of worship, which is... and Allah... Hajj (the major pilgrimage) and 'Umrah (the lesser pilgrimage). By the saying of Allah the Exalted: So Hajj and 'Umrah, even though they are voluntary, cannot be left except for valid legal reasons. As for other acts of worship that a person does voluntarily and which are not obligatory, a person may leave them, but the scholars say that it is disliked (makruh) to leave a voluntary act except for a valid purpose. Yes.