585 – ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “While the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was in the mosque observing iʿtikāf, he would extend his head toward me and I would comb his hair; and he would not enter the house except for a necessity when he was in retreat.” Agreed upon; the wording is that of al-Bukhārī. (1)

Vocabulary of the ḥadith
• la-yudkhilu: the prefixed lām is an introductory particle used for emphasis. When it precedes the imperfect verb it restricts the action to the present time, as in this narration.
• “...extend his head toward me while he was in the mosque”: his apartment was directly adjoining the mosque.
• urajjiluhu: I comb, arrange, and groom his hair.

Points derived from the ḥadith

1. If the person in iʿtikāf leaves the mosque where he is secluded without a genuine need, his iʿtikāf is nullified. He may leave for what is indispensable, such as obtaining food and drink when no one can bring them, vomiting, urinating, defecating, performing an obligatory bath, and similar necessities.
2. Accordingly, the Prophet ﷺ did not leave the mosque merely to have his hair combed; rather, he would bring his head close to ʿĀʾishah, who combed it while she remained in the house and he remained in the mosque, for she was menstruating and therefore did not enter the mosque.
3. The ḥadith shows that the emergence of only part of one’s body does not count as a prohibited exit; the person is still considered to be inside the mosque.
4. Touching a woman without desire does not invalidate iʿtikāf, and touching a menstruating woman—