free from menstruation and major ritual impurity; and if, during the retreat, he should apostatize or become intoxicated, the iʿtikāf is rendered void, and—according to the authoritative position—whatever of a continuous retreat had already elapsed is likewise annulled. Should insanity or fainting occur, what has passed remains valid so long as he does not leave the mosque, and the time of unconsciousness counts toward the seclusion, whereas the time of insanity does not. If menstruation begins he must leave, and the same ruling applies to major ritual impurity when the purificatory bath cannot be taken inside the mosque; if the bath can be performed there, leaving is allowed but not obligatory, and in every case the period of menstruation or major impurity is not counted.

Section

If someone vows a continuous iʿtikāf, continuity becomes binding. The sounder opinion, however, is that continuity is not required unless it is expressly stipulated. If he vows “one day,” it is impermissible to divide its hours. When he designates a fixed span—such as a week—and explicitly links it to continuity, and then fails to observe it, he must maintain continuity when making it up; but if continuity was not mentioned, it is not obligatory in the make-up. Should he stipulate continuity yet condition the right to exit for a particular contingency, the condition is valid according to the preponderant view. The time spent attending to that contingency need not be made up if he had fixed the overall period, such as “this month”; otherwise it must be made up.

Leaving the mosque without excuse breaks continuity. Merely projecting a limb outside, or stepping out to relieve oneself, does not harm it, nor is he obliged to relieve himself anywhere other than his own residence. Remaining outside after that does no harm unless the delay becomes excessive, in which case it does, according to the sound view. If, on his way back, he visits a sick person, it causes no injury so long as he neither lingers nor deviates from his route. Nor is continuity broken by an illness that necessitates leaving, or by menstruation when the total span of iʿtikāf is long; but if the span is such that it would normally be free of menses, continuity is deemed broken according to the apparent position. Exiting by mistake does not sever continuity, according to the school, nor does the exit of a regular muʾadhdhin to ascend a minaret detached from the mosque for the call to prayer, according to the sounder view. All time spent outside for legitimate excuses must be made up, save for the duration of relieving oneself.