What are the conditions, permissible acts, and invalidators of i'tikaf?
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The Shaykh : I'tikaf is only for a Muslim who has reached the age of discernment, because a disbeliever's i'tikaf is not accepted, nor is his i'tikaf valid, nor is any other act of worship valid from him. As Allah the Exalted said: [At-Tawbah 9:54].
Therefore, it is necessary that he be a Muslim, that he be of discernment, and that he be of sound mind. It is also necessary that the i'tikaf be in a mosque where the congregational prayer is held. It is not required that the Friday prayer be held there. If a person performs i'tikaf in a mosque where the five daily prayers are held but the Friday prayer is not, there is no harm in that. He remains in that mosque, and when the day of Friday comes, he goes to the mosque where the Friday prayer is performed.
Among the conditions of i'tikaf as well.
Among the invalidators of i'tikaf is leaving without a need. If a person leaves his place of i'tikaf without a need, his i'tikaf becomes invalid. It is not a need for a person to go out to contact his family or relatives by telephone, because this is not ... necessary for him. The original state is safety and health, and keeping matters as they were.
Among the invalidators of i'tikaf as well is for a person to go out to buy and sell, or to go out to his family to enjoy his wife, or similar to that which contradicts the meaning of i'tikaf.
As for what a person should be engaged in during his i'tikaf, he should occupy himself with the obedience of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), such as dhikr, reciting the Qur'an, prayer, tasbih, takbir, tahlil, and other such acts. Included in this is attending sessions of dhikr and seeking knowledge, for this does not contradict i'tikaf. The person performing i'tikaf may review his lessons, and the person performing i'tikaf may attend gatherings of knowledge.
And what prevents their expenditures from being accepted from them but that they have disbelieved in Allah and in His Messenger
وما منعهم أن تقبل منهم نفقاتهم إلا أنهم كفروا بالله وبرسولهTherefore, it is necessary that he be a Muslim, that he be of discernment, and that he be of sound mind. It is also necessary that the i'tikaf be in a mosque where the congregational prayer is held. It is not required that the Friday prayer be held there. If a person performs i'tikaf in a mosque where the five daily prayers are held but the Friday prayer is not, there is no harm in that. He remains in that mosque, and when the day of Friday comes, he goes to the mosque where the Friday prayer is performed.
Among the conditions of i'tikaf as well.
Among the invalidators of i'tikaf is leaving without a need. If a person leaves his place of i'tikaf without a need, his i'tikaf becomes invalid. It is not a need for a person to go out to contact his family or relatives by telephone, because this is not ... necessary for him. The original state is safety and health, and keeping matters as they were.
Among the invalidators of i'tikaf as well is for a person to go out to buy and sell, or to go out to his family to enjoy his wife, or similar to that which contradicts the meaning of i'tikaf.
As for what a person should be engaged in during his i'tikaf, he should occupy himself with the obedience of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), such as dhikr, reciting the Qur'an, prayer, tasbih, takbir, tahlil, and other such acts. Included in this is attending sessions of dhikr and seeking knowledge, for this does not contradict i'tikaf. The person performing i'tikaf may review his lessons, and the person performing i'tikaf may attend gatherings of knowledge.