Second: that he intends consecutiveness; in that case, he must observe them consecutively.

Third: that he leaves the matter unrestricted; then consecutiveness is not required of him, although it is better, because it discharges his obligation more quickly.

But if he vows specified days, he must observe them consecutively.

His statement: “The one observing i‘tikaf should not leave except for something he cannot do without,” meaning: he should not leave the mosque in which he is observing i‘tikaf.

The author, may Allah have mercy on him, then began to explain the ruling on the person observing i‘tikaf leaving his place of retreat. He mentioned two categories:

The first category is that he leaves for something he cannot do without, whether physically necessary or required by the Sacred Law. This is permissible whether or not he stipulated it.

An example of the first is eating and drinking, obtaining additional clothing if the cold becomes severe, and relieving oneself by urinating or defecating. These are matters that he physically cannot do without.

An example of the second is leaving in order to bathe after major ritual impurity, or leaving to perform ablution; this is something required by the Sacred Law.

Some people observing i‘tikaf in the Sacred Mosque once asked me, saying: “When we wish to attend a lesson of sacred knowledge held on the roof of the mosque, we are sometimes unable to do so unless we leave the mosque and enter through another gate. Does this invalidate our i‘tikaf?”

I replied: “It does not invalidate it, because this is due to a need, and because it is not an exit undertaken in order to leave; rather, he intends by it to enter the mosque.” I asked Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Baz, and he said the same as I did.