Book of I'tikaf (Seclusion in the Mosque).

I'tikaf in the language means: to adhere to a thing and to confine oneself to it, whether it is for a virtuous purpose or otherwise. From this is the saying of the Almighty: "What are these statues to which you are devoted (akifun)?" (1), and He said: "They devote themselves (ya'kufun) to idols of theirs" (2). Al-Khalil said: "'Akafa, ya'kufu and ya'kifu." In the Shari'ah, it is: dwelling in the mosque, according to a specific manner that we shall mention, and it is an act of drawing near (to Allah) and an act of obedience. Allah the Almighty said: "...that you two purify My House for those who perform circumambulation and those who seclude themselves (al-'akifin)" (3), and: "And do not have relations with them while you are in seclusion (akifun) in the mosques" (4). 'A'ishah said: The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to perform I'tikaf during the last ten (days of Ramadan). Agreed upon (5). Ibn Majah narrated in his "Sunan" (6), from Ibn 'Abbas, from the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), that he said concerning the one performing I'tikaf: "He hinders sins, and there is recorded for him of the rewards as if he were a performer of all righteous deeds." This Hadith is weak. In its chain of narration is Farqad al-Sabakhi (7). Abu Dawud said: I said to Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him: Do you know anything regarding the virtue of I'tikaf? He said: No, except for something weak. And we know of no disagreement among the scholars that it is Sunnah.