Continuation regarding i'tikaf, its time, and its manner.

The Shaykh : The first [group] seeks out the Night of Decree, for the Night of Decree is in Ramadan. Then the middle [group], and when he completed the middle [period], it was said to him that it is in the last ten days, so he performed i'tikaf for the entire last ten days and left off i'tikaf in the middle ten and the first ten. He never performed i'tikaf outside of Ramadan except for one year when he was delayed from performing i'tikaf in Ramadan for a reason, and then he made it up in Shawwal. So we now understand: when is i'tikaf prescribed? Only in the last ten days of Ramadan, and it is not prescribed at all times. And by this, we know the error of the statement of some jurists that it is befitting for a person, when he comes to the mosque, to intend i'tikaf for the duration of his stay in the mosque. This statement has no basis in truth; rather, if we wished, we would say that it is a religious innovation. The evidence is that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) never performed i'tikaf except in the last ten days of Ramadan. When some of the Companions committed to not marrying, and the second said, "I will stand in prayer and not sleep," and the third said, "I will fast and not break my fast," the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed them that he fasts and breaks his fast, stands in prayer and sleeps, and marries women, and that whoever turns away from his Sunnah is not from him. So whoever turns away from the Sunnah of the Messenger and performs i'tikaf other than in Ramadan, we say that you are an innovator. Adhere to the Sunnah of the Messenger. If it were good, the Messenger would have been the first to do it. Did you understand? Then, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) on Friday encouraged advancing [to the mosque]. He said: and mentioned the rest of the hadith. Did he say to the one who advances on Friday, "Intend i'tikaf so that you obtain two benefits: advancing to the mosque and i'tikaf"? Absolutely not, he did not say that. And do you think that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) knew that the intention of i'tikaf is among the things that bring one closer to Allah in this situation and did not convey it? Far be it from Allah, and may He be exalted from that. So if the intention of i'tikaf while staying in the mosque were prescribed and beloved to Allah, it would have been obligatory upon the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) to convey it to the servants of Allah, by the saying of the Exalted: Therefore, we say to the one who says, "When you enter the mosque, intend i'tikaf," we say, "Bring your proof. Where is the evidence for this?" Rather, the evidence is for the opposite. This is a concise statement regarding standing in prayer, fasting, standing in prayer, and i'tikaf. We ask Allah the Exalted to make us and you among those who fast Ramadan and stand in prayer in it with faith and seeking reward, and to prepare for us guidance in our affairs. Indeed, He is Able to do all things. As for next week, if Allah wills, the discussion will be about zakah: in what it is obligatory, its amount, and its expenditures. We ask Allah to make us and you successful in what He loves and is pleased with. As for now, we move to the questions, and we begin with those who are not from the people of the town, for the people of the town are the people of the house, and the arrivals are guests.