usually occurs only after great exertion and severe hardship, and the expenditure of much wealth. Therefore, invalidating them results in the loss of one’s wealth and the nullification of one’s many deeds; and we have been forbidden from wasting wealth and invalidating deeds. However, there is no wealth lost in abandoning I'tikaf after starting it, nor is there any deed invalidated, for what has passed of his I'tikaf is not nullified by abandoning the future I'tikaf. Furthermore, the ritual of Hajj relates specifically to the Sacred Mosque, whereas I'tikaf is the opposite.

527 - Issue: He said: (It is permissible without fasting, unless he says in his vow: 'with fasting'.)

The famous position in the Madhhab is that I'tikaf is valid without fasting. This was narrated from 'Ali, Ibn Mas'ud, Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib, 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz, Al-Hasan, 'Ata', Tawus, Al-Shafi'i, and Ishaq. From Ahmad, there is another narration that fasting is a condition for I'tikaf. He said: 'If one performs I'tikaf, fasting becomes binding upon him.' This was narrated from Ibn 'Umar, Ibn 'Abbas, and 'A'ishah. This is also the view of Al-Zuhri, Malik, Abu Hanifah, Al-Layth, Al-Thawri, and Al-Hasan ibn Yahya, due to what was narrated from 'A'ishah, from the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), that he said: 'There is no I'tikaf without fasting.' Narrated by Al-Daraqutni (1). And from Ibn 'Umar, that 'Umar made a vow to perform I'tikaf during the Jahiliyyah, so he asked the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), who said: 'Perform I'tikaf and fast.' Narrated by Abu Dawud (2). Also, because it is remaining in a specific place, it is not an act of worship by itself, like the standing (wuquf). As for us, we rely on what Ibn 'Umar narrated from 'Umar, that he said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I vowed during the Jahiliyyah to perform I'tikaf for one night in the Sacred Mosque.' The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: 'Fulfill your vow.' Narrated by Al-Bukhari (3). If fasting were a condition, the I'tikaf of the night would not be valid, because it