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.

526 - Issue: Abu al-Qasim, may Allah have mercy on him, said: (I'tikaf is Sunnah, unless it is a vow, in which case it is obligatory to fulfill it.)

There is no disagreement regarding this statement, praise be to Allah. Ibn al-Mundhir said: The people of knowledge have reached a consensus that I'tikaf is not a mandatory duty upon the people, unless a person makes it binding upon himself by a vow, in which case it becomes mandatory for him. Among the evidences that it is a Sunnah is the action of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), his perseverance in performing it as a means of drawing near to Allah Almighty and seeking His reward, and the I'tikaf of his wives with him and after him. Evidence that it is not mandatory is that his companions did not all perform I'tikaf, nor did the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) command them to do so, except for those who wished to. He (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever wants to perform I'tikaf, let him perform I'tikaf during the last ten days (2)." If it were mandatory, he would not have made it conditional upon one's own wish. As for when one vows to perform it, it becomes binding upon him, due to the saying of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace): "Whoever vows to obey Allah, let him obey Him." Narrated by Al-Bukhari (3). It is also reported from 'Umar that he said: O Messenger of Allah, I have vowed to perform I'tikaf for one night in the Sacred Mosque. So the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: