acts of worship, and he thereby exits the disagreement.

Section: If we say that fasting is a condition [for I'tikaf], then the I'tikaf of a single night is not valid, nor is part of a day, nor a night and part of a day, because the required fasting is not valid in less than a full day. It is possible that it is valid in part of a day, if he fasts the entire day, because the required fasting is found within the time of I'tikaf, and it is not considered necessary that the required object exist during the entire time of the condition.

528 - Issue: He said: "And I'tikaf is not valid except in a mosque where congregation is held."

He means where the congregational prayer is performed. This is stipulated because the congregation is mandatory, and a man's I'tikaf in a mosque where the congregation is not performed leads to one of two things: either abandoning the mandatory congregation, or leaving [the mosque] for it, which he would have to repeat frequently while it is possible to avoid doing so. This is contrary to I'tikaf, as it is [defined as] staying in the place of I'tikaf and residing in the obedience of Allah therein. I'tikaf is not valid in other than a mosque if the one performing I'tikaf is a man. We do not know of any disagreement among the people of knowledge regarding this. The basis for this is the saying of Allah the Exalted: "And do not have relations with them while you are observing I'tikaf in the mosques" (2). He specified it with that; had I'tikaf been valid in other than them, the prohibition of sexual relations would not have been restricted to them, for sexual relations are prohibited during I'tikaf absolutely. In the hadith of 'A'ishah, she said: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) would bring his head near to me while he was in the mosque, and I would comb his hair. He would not enter the house except for a need when he was performing I'tikaf" (3). Al-Daraqutni (4) narrated with his chain of transmission, from Al-Zuhri, from 'Urwah and Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib, from