It was narrated from him: He may not do so. This is the opinion of 'Ata', 'Urwah, Mujahid, al-Zuhri, Malik, al-Shafi'i, and the jurists (Ashab al-Ra'y). Al-Athram and Muhammad ibn al-Hakam narrated from him that it is permitted for him to visit the sick, attend a funeral, and return to his place of I'tikaf. This is the opinion of 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). Sa'id ibn Jubayr, al-Nakha'i, and al-Hasan also held this view, based on what 'Asim ibn Damrah narrated from 'Ali, who said: If a man observes I'tikaf, let him attend the Friday prayer, visit the sick, attend the funeral, come to his family, and command them regarding their needs while standing. Imam Ahmad and al-Athram narrated it. Ahmad said: 'Asim ibn Damrah is, in my view, a reliable authority. Ahmad said: He attends the funeral, visits the sick, does not sit down, fulfills the need, and returns to his place of I'tikaf.

The basis for the first [opinion] is what was narrated from 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) observed I'tikaf, he would not enter the house except for the needs of a human being. Agreed upon (1). Also from her (may Allah be pleased with her), she said: The Sunnah regarding the person observing I'tikaf is that he does not visit the sick, attend a funeral, touch a woman, have intercourse with her, or go out for a need except for that which is unavoidable. From her, she said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would pass by the sick while he was in I'tikaf, and he would pass by as he was, without stopping to ask about him. Both of these were narrated (2) by Abu Dawud (3). Because this is not an obligatory act, it is not permissible to abandon the obligatory I'tikaf for its sake, just as one cannot stop for the sake of walking with his brother to fulfill a need for him. If the funeral prayer becomes obligatory upon him personally and it is possible for him to perform it in the mosque, it is not permissible to go out for it. If that is not possible, it is permitted for him to go out for it. If the burial of the deceased or washing him becomes personally obligatory upon him, it is permissible to go out for it because this is an obligatory act that is personally incumbent, thus it takes precedence over I'tikaf, like the Friday prayer. As for if the I'tikaf is voluntary and he likes to exit from it to visit a sick person or attend a funeral, it is permitted, because each of them is a voluntary act, so neither one of them is binding; however, remaining in his I'tikaf is more excellent, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would not stop for the sick, and it was not obligatory upon him. But if he goes out for something that is unavoidable, and then asks about the sick person while on his way without stopping, it is permitted, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did that.