Chapter: Iʿtikāf (seclusion in the mosque)

Iʿtikāf is to remain in a mosque in devotion to Allah; it is a recommended sunnah. It is valid even without fasting, yet both iʿtikāf and fasting become obligatory once they are vowed.

It is valid only in a mosque where the five daily congregational prayers are held1—except for a woman, whose iʿtikāf is valid in any mosque other than the prayer space within her own home.

If someone vows iʿtikāf, or the performance of prayer, in a mosque other than the three Sacred Mosques—the most excellent being al-Masjid al-Ḥarām, followed by the Prophet’s Mosque, then al-Masjid al-Aqsa—he is not bound to carry it out there. However, if he designates the most excellent mosque, he may not fulfill the vow in one of lesser rank, and the converse applies accordingly.

Whoever vows iʿtikāf for a specified period must enter his place of retreat before the first night begins and depart only after the final moment has passed.

The person observing iʿtikāf should not leave the mosque except for an unavoidable necessity; he does not visit the sick or attend a funeral unless he had stipulated that beforehand. Should he engage in sexual intercourse, his iʿtikāf is invalidated.

It is recommended that he occupy himself with acts of devotion and avoid whatever does not concern him.