What is the ruling on a person in i'tikaf (spiritual retreat in the mosque) making a phone call?

Question : The questioner asks: Is it permissible for a person in i'tikaf to make a phone call to attend to the needs of some Muslims?

Answer : Yes, it is permissible for a person in i'tikaf to make a phone call to attend to the needs of some Muslims if the phone is in the mosque where he is in i'tikaf, because he has not left the mosque. However, if he is outside the mosque, he should not leave for that purpose. Attending to the needs of Muslims, if this man is specifically concerned with them, takes precedence over i'tikaf, because attending to the needs of Muslims is more important than i'tikaf, as its benefit extends to others, and a benefit that extends to others is better than a benefit that is limited to oneself, unless the limited benefit is among the essentials of Islam and the obligations of Islam.