The ruling on I'tikhaf in Islam

 The ruling on I'tikhaf in Islam

Alhamdulillah, observing the I'tikhaf is Sunnah mu'akkadah of the messenger of Allah peace be upon him.

Allah says in Quran,

Al-Baqarah 2:187

أُحِلَّ لَكُمۡ لَيۡلَةَ ٱلصِّيَامِ ٱلرَّفَثُ إِلَىٰ نِسَآئِكُمۡۚ هُنَّ لِبَاسࣱ لَّكُمۡ وَأَنتُمۡ لِبَاسࣱ لَّهُنَّۗ عَلِمَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّكُمۡ كُنتُمۡ تَخۡتَانُونَ أَنفُسَكُمۡ فَتَابَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَعَفَا عَنكُمۡۖ فَٱلۡئَٰنَ بَٰشِرُوهُنَّ وَٱبۡتَغُواْ مَا كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡۚ وَكُلُواْ وَٱشۡرَبُواْ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ ٱلۡخَيۡطُ ٱلۡأَبۡيَضُ مِنَ ٱلۡخَيۡطِ ٱلۡأَسۡوَدِ مِنَ ٱلۡفَجۡرِۖ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّواْ ٱلصِّيَامَ إِلَى ٱلَّيۡلِۚ وَلَا تُبَٰشِرُوهُنَّ وَأَنتُمۡ عَٰكِفُونَ فِي ٱلۡمَسَٰجِدِۗ تِلۡكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ فَلَا تَقۡرَبُوهَاۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَّقُونَ

English - Sahih International

It has been made permissible for you the night preceding fasting to go to your wives [for sexual relations]. They are a clothing for you and you are a clothing[1] for them. Allāh knows that you used to deceive yourselves,[2] so He accepted your repentance and forgave you. So now, have relations with them and seek that which Allāh has decreed for you [i.e., offspring]. And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast until the night [i.e., sunset]. And do not have relations with them as long as you are staying for worship in the mosques. These are the limits [set by] Allāh, so do not approach them. Thus does Allāh make clear His verses [i.e., ordinances] to the people that they may become righteous.

This is the verse that talks of seclusion in the masjid.

And when one is in I'tikhaf is forbidden to have any sexual intercourse with his spouse or come out of the masjid except for a reason like relieving one's self or for medication.

A woman when she is in I'tikhaf and sees her menses, the I'tikhaf has ended and she should leave the masjid and go home until she is purified and return back.

It is not allowed for one in I'tikhaf to be associating with worldly affairs but should concentrate on the Quran and ibadah making dhikr.

One should not make dunya his purpose while in the masjid.

The time I'tikhaf starts is from the 20th night from maghrib one enters I'tikhaf and comes out on after eid.

Some scholars say the Sunnah is to enter after fajr prayer on 20th day of Ramadhan and comes out after eid after maghrib.

I'tikhaf is an act of worship and one is rewarded for it.

 It is not allowed for a woman to enter into I'tikhaf without the permission of her husband and if he denies her to go for i'tikhaf, she is not allowed to go because obeying him her is more of priority than going to I'tikhaf.

May Allah safeguards and protects our Eeman(faith).

Aamiin