consecutively" (Maryam: 10). And He said in another place: "three days, except by signals" (Al-Imran: 41). Our position is that the day is a name for the brightness of the day, and the dual and plural are a repetition of the singular, and the nights are only included as a consequence of the obligation of continuity by implication, and this is achieved by what is between the days exclusively, so that sufficed. As for the verse, Allah the Almighty specified the night in one place and the day in another, so it became textually specified for both. If he vows I'tikaf for two consecutive days, two days and a night between them are incumbent upon him. If he vows I'tikaf for two days unconditionally, then according to the Qadi's view, it is as if he had vowed them consecutively. Likewise, if he vows two nights, the day that is between them is incumbent upon him. According to the view of Abu al-Khattab, continuity is not incumbent upon him, nor is the period between them, unless it is by his phrasing or his intention.

Section: If he vows I'tikaf for one day, it is not permissible for him to divide it, and it is incumbent upon him to enter his place of I'tikaf before the break of dawn and exit it after sunset. Malik said: He enters his place of I'tikaf before sunset of the night of that day, as per our statement regarding the month; because the night follows the day, as evidenced by what would be the case if it were consecutive. Our position is that the night is not part of the day, while it is part of the month. Al-Khalil said: The day is a name for what is between the break of dawn and sunset. The night only entered into the consecutive [vow] by implication, and for this reason, we restricted it to what is between the days. If he vows I'tikaf for a night, he is bound to enter his place of I'tikaf before sunset, and he exits it after the break of dawn, and he does not have the right to divide the I'tikaf. Al-Shafi'i said: He has the right to divide it. This is the apparent meaning of his statement, based on analogy to the division of a month. Our position is that the absolute [expression] of a day is understood to imply continuity, so it becomes incumbent, just as if he said: "Consecutively." It differs from the month, for it is a name for what is between the two new moons, and a name for thirty days, and a name for other things, while the day does not apply in apparent meaning except to what we have mentioned. And if he says in the middle of...