(may Allah bless him and grant him peace): "Fulfill your vow." Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim (4).
Section: If one intends to perform I'tikaf for a period that is not binding upon him, and then commences it, he has the choice to complete it, and he has the choice to exit from it whenever he wishes. Al-Shafi'i held this view. Malik said: It becomes binding upon him by the intention combined with entering into it, and if he cuts it short, he is required to make it up. Ibn 'Abd al-Barr said: There is no disagreement among the jurists regarding this, and it is binding upon him to make it up according to all scholars. He said: And if he did not enter into it, then making it up is recommended. Some scholars have made it mandatory even if he did not enter into it, citing as evidence what was narrated from 'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to perform I'tikaf during the last ten days of Ramadan, so 'A'ishah sought his permission, and he granted it to her, so she ordered her tent to be built, and it was set up. Hafsah asked that she be permitted by the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and he did so, so she ordered her tent to be built and it was set up. When Zaynab bint Jahsh saw that, she ordered her tent to be built and it was set up. She said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to enter his place of I'tikaf after performing the morning prayer. When he performed the morning prayer, he turned away, saw the tents, and asked, "What is this?" They said, "The tents of 'A'ishah, Hafsah, and Zaynab." The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, "Do you intend righteousness by this? I will not perform I'tikaf," and he went back. When he broke his fast, he performed I'tikaf for ten days in Shawwal. Its meaning is agreed upon (6). And because it is an act of worship...
(4) In A: "Agreed upon" (Muttafaq 'alayh). Both are synonymous. It was extracted by Al-Bukhari, in: The chapter: 'I'tikaf at night', the chapter: 'Whoever does not consider fasting necessary upon him when he performs I'tikaf', and the chapter: 'If one vows in the Jahiliyyah to perform I'tikaf then embraces Islam', from the Book of I'tikaf. Sahih Al-Bukhari 3/63, 66, 67. And Muslim, in: The chapter: 'The vow of an infidel and what he does regarding it when he embraces Islam', from the Book of Oaths. Sahih Muslim 3/1277. It was also extracted by Abu Dawud, in: The chapter: 'Whoever vowed in the Jahiliyyah then reached Islam', from the Book of Oaths. Sunan Abi Dawud 2/217. And Al-Tirmidhi, in: The chapter: 'What has been narrated regarding fulfilling a vow', from the Chapters on Vows. 'Aridat al-Ahwadhi 7/22, 23. And Ibn Majah, in: The chapter: 'Fulfilling the vow', from the Book of Expiations. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/687. And Al-Darimi, in: The chapter: 'Fulfilling the vow', from the Book of Vows. Sunan Al-Darimi 2/183. (5) In the original: "Al-I'tikaf". (6) Extracted by Al-Bukhari, in: The chapter: 'Whoever intended to perform I'tikaf then decided to exit', from the Book of I'tikaf. Sahih Al-Bukhari 3/67. And Muslim, in: The chapter: 'When does the one intending I'tikaf enter his place of I'tikaf', from the Book of I'tikaf. Sahih Muslim 2/831. It was also extracted by Abu Dawud, in: The chapter: 'I'tikaf', from the Book of Fasting. Sunan Abi Dawud 1/573. And Al-Nasa'i, in: The chapter: 'Pitching a tent in mosques', from the Book of Mosques. Al-Mujtaba 2/35. And Ibn Majah, in: The chapter: 'What has been narrated regarding one who begins I'tikaf and making up I'tikaf', from the Book of Fasting. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/563. And Imam Malik, in: The chapter: 'Making up I'tikaf', from the Book of I'tikaf. Al-Muwatta 1/316. And Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 6/84, 226.
