Sunan al-Shafi'i

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) observed i'tikaf during the middle ten days of Ramadan in one year, until the twenty-first night came, the night when he (peace be upon him) was to come out of i'tikaf. He (peace be upon him) delivered a sermon and said: "Those who sat in i'tikaf with me (should return and) observe i'tikaf for the last ten days as well." And he said: "Laylat al-Qadr was shown to me (in a dream), then it was made to be forgotten. I saw in my dream as if I was prostrating in mud in the morning. So seek Laylat al-Qadr in the last ten nights, and seek it in the odd nights." Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) says that on that very night it rained, and the roof of the mosque was made of palm branches, so it started to leak. Abu Sa'id (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I myself saw with my own eyes that on the morning of the twenty-first, there was mud on the forehead and nose of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).

It is narrated from Umm al-Mu'mineen Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would observe i'tikaf, he would bring his head close to me from (the door) and I would comb his hair, and he would not enter the house except for a human need.

It is narrated from Umm al-Mu'mineen Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would observe i'tikaf in the mosque, he would extend his blessed head towards me (into the chamber) and I would wash it, even though I was in the state of menstruation.

It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would incline his blessed head from the mosque towards my chamber while he was in i'tikaf, and I would be menstruating, yet I would wash his blessed head.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to observe i'tikaf during the middle ten days of Ramadan. After spending the nights, when the twenty-first night would come, he would return home in the evening, and those who were observing i'tikaf with him would also return. But once, on the twenty-first night, he remained in the mosque, although it was his habit to return home. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) delivered a sermon to the people and commanded whatever Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, willed. Then he said: "I used to observe i'tikaf in the middle ten days, but now it has become clear that i'tikaf should be observed in the last ten days. Therefore, whoever has observed i'tikaf with me should remain in i'tikaf. I was shown Laylat al-Qadr, then it was made to be forgotten. Seek it in the last ten nights and seek it in the odd nights. I saw myself (in a dream) prostrating in mud." Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id (may Allah be pleased with him) also said that on that night clouds appeared in the sky, it rained, and water dripped from the roof onto the prayer mat of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). This happened on the twenty-first night. I saw with my own eyes that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) led us in the morning prayer and turned his blessed face towards us, there was mud on his blessed face.