There are many Prophetic narrations that encourage drawing closer to Allah (God) through voluntary (nafl) acts of worship. Their general meaning covers all forms of worship, and that includes i‘tikāf as well.
I‘tikāf (اعتكاف) in Ramadan is a spiritual retreat where a person stays in the mosque (with the intention of worship) and limits worldly activities to focus on Allah—especially during the last ten nights to seek Laylat al-Qadr. It is a voluntary act of worship, not a compulsory one.
There are many Prophetic narrations that encourage drawing closer to Allah (God) through voluntary (nafl) acts of worship. Their general meaning covers all forms of worship, and that includes i‘tikāf as well.
Most scholars (including the four imams) say that if you want to do i‘tikāf for the last ten nights, you should enter the mosque before Maghrib on the 20th day—so you are there from the start of the 21st night, when the last ten nights begin and Laylat al-Qadr could occur.
There is another view—based on the hadith of ‘Aishah, the Prophet Muhammad’s wife (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet ﷺ would pray Fajr and then enter his i‘tikāf area—that i‘tikāf begins after Fajr on the 21st. The majority reconcile this by saying he ﷺ was already in the mosque from before Maghrib, and after Fajr he simply withdrew to his designated place for seclusion.
Most scholars say i‘tikāf must be done in a mosque, and there is no minimum time for it—so it may be for a long period or a short one, even an hour or a day even. During Ramadan it is common for Muslims to observe it for the last 10 nights.
I‘tikāf is a confirmed Sunnah that the Prophet ﷺ practised regularly, but it has sadly become rare among many Muslims.
This is often due to:
Weak faith in some hearts
Being overly attached to worldly comforts and desires
Little motivation for the Hereafter, so people avoid the sacrifice and effort of i‘tikāf
Claiming love for the Prophet ﷺ without consistently following his Sunnah in practice
Reviving i‘tikāf—especially in the last ten days of Ramadan—can be like an intensive spiritual renewal that strengthens a person during Ramadan and beyond.
A major aim of the Prophet’s i‘tikāf was to seek Laylat al-Qadr. The narration of Abu Sa‘eed al-Khudri (رضي الله عنه) shows that the Prophet ﷺ first searched for it in the first ten nights, then the middle ten, and finally was informed it is in the last ten, so he continued there—and the Companions followed him.
This teaches, among other things:
The core goal was preparing for Laylat al-Qadr with worship
The Prophet ﷺ showed the highest effort in seeking it
The Companions’ strong commitment to following his example
His mercy in giving people the choice to continue or leave if it was difficult
Other key purposes of i‘tikāf include:
Being alone with Allah as much as possible, away from distractions
Refreshing the heart spiritually through focused worship
Devoting time to prayer, du‘ā, dhikr, and Qur’an
Helping protect the fast from desires and anything that weakens it
Reducing even permissible pleasures to train the soul and increase sincerity
I‘tikāf (اعتكاف) in Ramadan is a spiritual retreat where a person stays in the mosque (with the intention of worship) and limits worldly activities to focus on Allah—especially during the last ten nights to seek Laylat al-Qadr. It is a voluntary act of worship, not a compulsory one.
Someone in i‘tikāf should stay focused on worship, but there is no problem if he speaks briefly to someone or receives a short visit.
However, any conversation should be quiet, so it does not disturb others in the mosque who are praying, reciting Qur’an, or making dhikr.
And it should be short and limited, so it doesn’t take him away from the main purpose of i‘tikāf.
Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated from ‘Ali ibn Husayn that Safiyyah (رضي الله عنها), the wife of the Prophet ﷺ, said that she came to visit the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he was in i‘tikāf in the mosque during the last ten nights of Ramadan. She spoke with him for a short time, then when she stood to leave, the Prophet ﷺ stood up and walked with her.
Recommended: focusing on worship and drawing close to Allah, because that is the whole purpose of i‘tikāf and why it is done in the mosque.
Prohibited: anything that goes against i‘tikāf, such as leaving the mosque without a valid reason, buying and selling, or having marital relations—because these cancel or undermine i‘tikāf.
Permissible: normal, allowed matters like briefly speaking to people, greeting them, and asking how they are.
The Prophet ﷺ practised i‘tikāf in the most balanced way: he first did it in the first ten nights, then the middle ten, seeking Laylat al-Qadr, and once he was informed it is in the last ten, he consistently observed i‘tikāf in the last ten nights until his death. One year he missed it, so he made it up in Shawwāl, and in the year he died he observed i‘tikāf for twenty days (reported as being because he had travelled the year before, so he made up for it).
He would have a small tent set up in the mosque to keep away from people and focus fully on worship, leaving only for essential human needs. He also maintained cleanliness (such as washing and combing his hair), and he avoided things that would distract him like visiting the sick or attending funerals, while still allowing brief family visits. Overall, his i‘tikāf was not harsh—it was devoted worship, remembrance of Allah, and seeking Laylat al-Qadr, not socialising.
`Aishah said: The Sunnah is for the person in i’tikaf not to visit the sick or attend funerals, or to be intimate with his wife. But there is nothing wrong with his going out for essential needs. (Narrated by Abu Dawud, 2473; classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih Abi Dawud.)
It was narrated from Safiyyah the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that she came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and visited him when he was in i’tikaf in the mosque, during the last ten days of Ramadan. She spoke with him for a while, then she stood up to leave. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stood up with her to take her home. (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 2035; Muslim, 2175)
Al-Bukhari (2028) and Muslim (297) narrated that `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to lean his head towards me when he was observing i’tikaf in the mosque, and I would comb his hair, when I was menstruating.” According to a report also narrated by al-Bukhari: “And I would wash it.”
Ibn Majah narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Prophet ﷺ said about the one in i‘tikāf: he is keeping away from sin and is rewarded like someone doing many kinds of good deeds. However, this report was graded da‘if by al-Albani in Da‘if Ibn Majah.
Al-Tabarani, al-Hakim, and al-Bayhaqi narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Prophet ﷺ said: whoever does i‘tikāf for one day sincerely for Allah, Allah will place between him and the Fire three trenches, each wider than the distance between east and west. They classed it as da‘if, and al-Albani also graded it da‘if in al-Silsilah al-Da‘ifah (5345).
Al-Daylami narrated from ‘Aishah that the Prophet ﷺ said: whoever observes i‘tikāf with faith and seeking reward will have previous sins forgiven. Al-Albani graded it da‘if in Da‘if al-Jami‘ (5442).
I‘tikāf is only valid in a mosque. The scholars agree on this for men, based on Allah’s statement: “…while you are in i‘tikāf in the mosques” (al-Baqarah 2:187). So i‘tikāf is specifically tied to the mosque.
For women, the majority of scholars hold the same ruling: a woman’s i‘tikāf is not valid unless it is also in the mosque, using the same verse as evidence. They also point out that the Prophet’s wives asked permission to do i‘tikāf in the mosque, and they continued to do so after he ﷺ passed away. They argue that if i‘tikāf at home were allowed, the Prophet ﷺ would have directed them to it—especially since a woman staying at home is generally more concealing.
Some scholars did allow a woman to do i‘tikāf in the “mosque of her house” (a dedicated prayer space at home). But the majority rejected this, saying it is only called a “mosque” metaphorically; it does not carry the legal rulings of a real masjid (for example, menstruating or junub people may enter it). For that reason, they say i‘tikāf is not valid there.
Al-Nawawi explicitly stated that i‘tikāf is not valid for men or women anywhere except a proper mosque, and Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymin said that a woman should do i‘tikāf in the mosque so long as it does not lead to anything Islamically impermissible; if it would, then she should not do i‘tikāf.