Hadith 644
It is narrated from Umm al-Mu'minin Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was in i'tikaf, he would lean his head towards me, so I would comb his hair, and he would not enter the house except for a necessary need.
Hadith 645
It is narrated from Hazrat Amrah bint Abdur Rahman that when Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) performed i'tikaf, she would not visit the sick except while walking, and she would not stop (to sit).
Hadith 645B1
قَالَ مَالِك: لَا يَأْتِي الْمُعْتَكِفُ حَاجَتَهُ وَلَا يَخْرُجُ لَهَا ، وَلَا يُعِينُ أَحَدًا إِلَّا أَنْ يَخْرُجَ لِحَاجَةِ الْإِنْسَانِ ، وَلَوْ كَانَ خَارِجًا لِحَاجَةِ أَحَدٍ لَكَانَ أَحَقَّ مَا يُخْرَجُ إِلَيْهِ عِيَادَةُ الْمَرِيضِ ، وَالصَّلَاةُ عَلَى الْجَنَائِزِ وَاتِّبَاعُهَا
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: Whoever performs i'tikaf should not go out for any work, nor go anywhere, nor help anyone, except for a necessary need. And if it were permissible for the person in i'tikaf to go out for any work, then it would have been permissible for him to go out to visit the sick, or for the funeral prayer, or for burial.
Hadith 645B2
قَالَ مَالِك: لَا يَكُونُ الْمُعْتَكِفُ مُعْتَكِفًا ، حَتَّى يَجْتَنِبَ مَا يَجْتَنِبُ الْمُعْتَكِفُ مِنْ عِيَادَةِ الْمَرِيضِ ، وَالصَّلَاةِ عَلَى الْجَنَائِزِ ، وَدُخُولِ الْبَيْتِ إِلَّا لِحَاجَةِ الْإِنْسَانِ
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: I'tikaf is not valid unless the person observing i'tikaf refrains from visiting the sick or attending funeral prayers in people's homes, and does not go out except for a necessary need.
Hadith 646
وَحَدَّثَنِي ، عَنْ مَالِك ، أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ ابْنَ شِهَابٍ عَنْ الرَّجُلِ يَعْتَكِفُ هَلْ يَدْخُلُ لِحَاجَتِهِ تَحْتَ سَقْفٍ ؟ فَقَالَ : " نَعَمْ ، لَا بَأْسَ بِذَلِكَ "
It is narrated from Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, that he asked Ibn Shihab whether it is permissible for a person observing i'tikaf to go into a plastered house for a necessary need. He replied: Yes, it is permissible, there is no harm in it.
Hadith 646B1
قَالَ مَالِك : الْأَمْرُ عِنْدَنَا الَّذِي لَا اخْتِلَافَ فِيهِ ، أَنَّهُ لَا يُكْرَهُ الْاعْتِكَافُ فِي كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ يُجَمَّعُ فِيهِ ، وَلَا أُرَاهُ كُرِهَ الْاعْتِكَافُ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ الَّتِي لَا يُجَمَّعُ فِيهَا ، إِلَّا كَرَاهِيَةَ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ الْمُعْتَكِفُ مِنْ مَسْجِدِهِ الَّذِي اعْتَكَفَ فِيهِ إِلَى الْجُمُعَةِ أَوْ يَدَعَهَا ، فَإِنْ كَانَ مَسْجِدًا لَا يُجَمَّعُ فِيهِ الْجُمُعَةُ وَلَا يَجِبُ عَلَى صَاحِبِهِ إِتْيَانُ الْجُمُعَةِ فِي مَسْجِدٍ سِوَاهُ ، فَإِنِّي لَا أَرَى بَأْسًا بِالْاعْتِكَافِ فِيهِ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى قَالَ : وَأَنْتُمْ عَاكِفُونَ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ سورة البقرة آية 187 فَعَمَّ اللَّهُ الْمَسَاجِدَ كُلَّهَا وَلَمْ يَخُصَّ شَيْئًا مِنْهَا
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: In our view, the ruling—about which there is no disagreement—is that i'tikaf is not disliked in a mosque where Jumu'ah is held, and in those mosques where Jumu'ah is not held, i'tikaf is disliked for the reason that one would have to leave for the Jumu'ah prayer or abandon Jumu'ah. Except if there is a person upon whom Jumu'ah is not obligatory and he performs i'tikaf in a mosque where Jumu'ah is not held, then there is no objection to it, because Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, said «﴿وَأَنْتُمْ عَاكِفُونَ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ﴾ [البقرة: 187]» and did not specify any particular mosque.
Hadith 646B2
قَالَ مَالِك : فَمِنْ هُنَالِكَ جَازَ لَهُ أَنْ يَعْتَكِفَ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ الَّتِي لَا يُجَمَّعُ فِيهَا الْجُمُعَةُ ، إِذَا كَانَ لَا يَجِبُ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ مِنْهُ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الَّذِي تُجَمَّعُ فِيهِ الْجُمُعَةُ
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: For this reason, it is permissible for one upon whom Jumu'ah is not obligatory to perform i'tikaf in a mosque where Jumu'ah is not held.
Hadith 646B3
قَالَ مَالِك : وَلَا يَبِيتُ الْمُعْتَكِفُ إِلَّا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ الَّذِي اعْتَكَفَ فِيهِ ، إِلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ خِبَاؤُهُ فِي رَحَبَةٍ مِنْ رِحَابِ الْمَسْجِدِ
Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: The person observing i'tikaf should not stay at night except in the mosque where he is observing i'tikaf; however, if his tent is in the courtyard of the mosque, then staying there is permissible.
Hadith 646B4
وَلَمْ أَسْمَعْ أَنَّ الْمُعْتَكِفَ يَضْرِبُ بِنَاءً يَبِيتُ فِيهِ ، إِلَّا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ أَوْ فِي رَحَبَةٍ مِنْ رِحَابِ الْمَسْجِدِ ، وَمِمَّا يَدُلُّ عَلَى أَنَّهُ لَا يَبِيتُ إِلَّا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ ، قَوْلُ عَائِشَةَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ " إِذَا اعْتَكَفَ لَا يَدْخُلُ الْبَيْتَ إِلَّا لِحَاجَةِ الْإِنْسَانِ
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: I have not heard that the person observing i'tikaf should set up a tent to stay at night in the mosque or in its courtyard, and this is indicated by the statement of Lady Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, when he observed i'tikaf, would not enter the house except for a necessary need.
Hadith 646B5
وَلَا يَعْتَكِفُ فَوْقَ ظَهْرِ الْمَسْجِدِ ، وَلَا فِي الْمَنَارِ " يَعْنِي الصَّوْمَعَةَ
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: It is not valid to observe i'tikaf on the roof or minaret of the mosque. Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: Whoever intends to observe i'tikaf in a certain place should enter there before sunset, so that he may attain the entire night for which he intends to observe i'tikaf.
Hadith 646B6
وَقَالَ مَالِك : يَدْخُلُ الْمُعْتَكِفُ الْمَكَانَ الَّذِي يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَعْتَكِفَ فِيهِ قَبْلَ غُرُوبِ الشَّمْسِ مِنَ اللَّيْلَةِ الَّتِي يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَعْتَكِفَ فِيهَا ، حَتَّى يَسْتَقْبِلَ بِاعْتِكَافِهِ أَوَّلَ اللَّيْلَةِ الَّتِي يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَعْتَكِفَ فِيهَا
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: It is not permissible for the person in i'tikaf to engage in any other occupation besides his i'tikaf, such as trade and the like. However, if there is a need for some work, he may tell his people, for example, if there is something related to his profession or trade, or some household matter, or if something needs to be sold, or there is some task, then he may tell others in such a way that his heart does not become occupied with it, and the work should be light.
Hadith 646B7
وَالْمُعْتَكِفُ مُشْتَغِلٌ بِاعْتِكَافِهِ لَا يَعْرِضُ لِغَيْرِهِ مِمَّا يَشْتَغِلُ بِهِ مِنَ التِّجَارَاتِ أَوْ غَيْرِهَا ، وَلَا بَأْسَ بِأَنْ يَأْمُرَ الْمُعْتَكِفُ بِبَعْضِ حَاجَتِهِ بِضَيْعَتِهِ وَمَصْلَحَةِ أَهْلِهِ ، وَأَنْ يَأْمُرَ بِبَيْعِ مَالِهِ أَوْ بِشَيْءٍ لَا يَشْغَلُهُ فِي نَفْسِهِ ، فَلَا بَأْسَ بِذَلِكَ إِذَا كَانَ خَفِيفًا أَنْ يَأْمُرَ بِذَلِكَ مَنْ يَكْفِيهِ إِيَّاهُ
Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: I have not heard from any person of knowledge who attaches any condition to i'tikaf. Rather, i'tikaf is also an act among the acts of goodness, like prayer, fasting, and Hajj. Whether obligatory or voluntary, whoever performs any act of goodness should adopt the way of the Sunnah, and it is not correct that anyone should invent a new way which was not among the earlier Muslims, nor should he create any condition. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, performed i'tikaf, and the Muslims recognized its method by observing his i'tikaf.
Hadith 646B8
قَالَ مَالِك : لَمْ أَسْمَعْ أَحَدًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ يَذْكُرُ فِي الْاعْتِكَافِ شَرْطًا ، وَإِنَّمَا الْاعْتِكَافُ عَمَلٌ مِنَ الْأَعْمَالِ ، مِثْلُ الصَّلَاةِ وَالصِّيَامِ وَالْحَجِّ وَمَا أَشْبَهَ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْأَعْمَالِ مَا كَانَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَرِيضَةً أَوْ نَافِلَةً ، فَمَنْ دَخَلَ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَإِنَّمَا يَعْمَلُ بِمَا مَضَى مِنَ السُّنَّةِ ، وَلَيْسَ لَهُ أَنْ يُحْدِثَ فِي ذَلِكَ غَيْرَ مَا مَضَى عَلَيْهِ الْمُسْلِمُونَ ، لَا مِنْ شَرْطٍ يَشْتَرِطُهُ وَلَا يَبْتَدِعُهُ ، وَقَدِ اعْتَكَفَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَعَرَفَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ سُنَّةَ الْاعْتِكَافِ
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: I'tikaf and jawar are the same, and likewise, the i'tikaf of a desert-dweller and a townsman is the same in all rulings.