It is not permissible for the one in i'tikaf to leave his place of i'tikaf except for what is necessary religiously, physically, or out of need
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The Shaykh : Then, the one in i'tikaf is bound to the mosque and does not leave except for something that is necessary, either religiously or physically and by custom.
So, what is necessary religiously is that he leaves for wudu', or leaves to perform ghusl from janabah, or leaves to perform ghusl on Friday, because ghusl on Friday is obligatory. And what is necessary physically and by custom is that he leaves to eat and drink if no one brings them to him, or to relieve himself of urine or feces, or if blood has overcome him and he needs to go to the hospital or something similar. All right.
And does he leave to visit a sick relative? That is, if he has a sick relative and he is in i'tikaf, does he leave? The scholars say he does not leave unless he stipulated when entering i'tikaf that he would visit his sick relative, or accompany his funeral if he died. And is it valid for him to say: "When I am in i'tikaf, I have the right to go to my shop to sell and buy in the early part of the night."
Listen, my son, does he have that right or not? He stipulated that he would go to his shop to sell and buy in the early part of the night only. Does he have that right? No. Because this contradicts i'tikaf. This is purely worldly work that contradicts i'tikaf, so his stipulation is not valid. All right, if a young man who recently got married is in i'tikaf and stipulates that he will leave every night to enjoy his wife, is that valid or not? The man is young, his marriage is recent, and he needs his wife. And he stipulated, saying: "I have the right to go to my wife every night to enjoy her."
The answer: Is this stipulation valid or not? It is not valid because it contradicts i'tikaf. But if we asked this man, he would say he is a young man with strong desires and recently married. Is it better for him to stay with his wife or is it better for him to do i'tikaf? The first is better; staying with his wife is better than doing i'tikaf, because marriage with desire is better than voluntary acts of worship, and this is a blessing from Allah (Mighty and Majestic). For this reason, when the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked, he said:.
So, what is necessary religiously is that he leaves for wudu', or leaves to perform ghusl from janabah, or leaves to perform ghusl on Friday, because ghusl on Friday is obligatory. And what is necessary physically and by custom is that he leaves to eat and drink if no one brings them to him, or to relieve himself of urine or feces, or if blood has overcome him and he needs to go to the hospital or something similar. All right.
And does he leave to visit a sick relative? That is, if he has a sick relative and he is in i'tikaf, does he leave? The scholars say he does not leave unless he stipulated when entering i'tikaf that he would visit his sick relative, or accompany his funeral if he died. And is it valid for him to say: "When I am in i'tikaf, I have the right to go to my shop to sell and buy in the early part of the night."
Listen, my son, does he have that right or not? He stipulated that he would go to his shop to sell and buy in the early part of the night only. Does he have that right? No. Because this contradicts i'tikaf. This is purely worldly work that contradicts i'tikaf, so his stipulation is not valid. All right, if a young man who recently got married is in i'tikaf and stipulates that he will leave every night to enjoy his wife, is that valid or not? The man is young, his marriage is recent, and he needs his wife. And he stipulated, saying: "I have the right to go to my wife every night to enjoy her."
The answer: Is this stipulation valid or not? It is not valid because it contradicts i'tikaf. But if we asked this man, he would say he is a young man with strong desires and recently married. Is it better for him to stay with his wife or is it better for him to do i'tikaf? The first is better; staying with his wife is better than doing i'tikaf, because marriage with desire is better than voluntary acts of worship, and this is a blessing from Allah (Mighty and Majestic). For this reason, when the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked, he said: