Chapter on Iʿtikāf (Spiritual Retreat)

In the Sacred Law, iʿtikāf means remaining in the mosque, refraining from earning a livelihood and other pursuits as well as from whatever marital relations are ordinarily lawful, while staying continuously within the mosque premises.

Linguistically the root conveys the sense of “staying.” Observing iʿtikāf during the last ten nights of Ramadan is a confirmed sunnah, and outside of Ramadan it is permissible. According to Mālik and the majority of the scholars of Madinah, iʿtikāf is only valid in conjunction with fasting; therefore, every day on which fasting is valid allows for a valid iʿtikāf, whereas every day on which fasting is invalid renders iʿtikāf invalid. For this reason one may not perform iʿtikāf on the day of ʿĪd or during the Days of Minā. The minimum period for iʿtikāf is one full day and night, though Mālik prefers that no one undertake it for less than ten days. And whoever vows to perform iʿtikāf