Seclusion (Iᶦtikaaf)
Its provision: It is an emphasized Sunnah.
Its time: It is recommended in the last ten days of Ramadan. Imam Malik sees that it is at least one day and one night.
●ᶦAishah reported: With the start of the last ten days of Ramadan, the Messenger of Allah used to tighten his waist belt (i.e. work hard), pray all the night, and keep his family awake (to pray and recite Qurᶦan, etc…). [Agreed upon].
●Abu-Saᶦid AL-Khudri reported: The Messenger of Allah used to seclude himself (do Iᶦtikaaf) in the middle ten days of Ramadan. One year he was secluding and then, when it came to the night of the twenty-first, which was the night before the morning of which he used to come out of his seclusion, he said, “Whoever secluded himself with me, should stay in seclusion for the last ten days, for I was informed (of the date) of this night (the Night of High Esteem), but I was caused to forget it. So, seek it in the last ten days and seek it every night with an odd number.” [AL-Bukhari].
Conditions of seclusion:
1) Intention. 2) Staying at mosque.
* A woman should seclude herself after obtaining her husband’s permission.
* Imam Malik sees that a woman can seclude herself in the mosque of her house (i.e. certain place
* A secluded person should not come out, except for a necessity as a disease, menses, or confinement.
Menses, confinement, and sexual impurity invalidate seclusion. Also it becomes invalid upon going out the mosque, except for a normal or a legal cause, or for getting food.
*A secluded person should spend his time in obedience and Qurᶦan reciting.
