the day: "It is upon me before Allah to observe I'tikaf for a day from this time of mine." I'tikaf becomes incumbent upon him from that time until its equivalent, and the night is included therein; for it is during the course of his vow, so it becomes as if he had vowed two consecutive days. He is only bound by parts of two days because of his specifying it in his vow, so we knew that he intended that, and he did not intend a full day.
Section: If he vows an unconditional I'tikaf, he is bound by what is designated as I'tikaf, even if it is for an hour of the night or day, except according to our view regarding the obligation of fasting in I'tikaf, in which case a full day is incumbent upon him. As for a mere moment, or that which is not called I'tikaf, it does not suffice him, according to both narrations.
Section: Nothing of the mosques becomes designated by his vow of I'tikaf therein, except the three mosques, which are: the Sacred Mosque (Al-Masjid al-Haram), the Mosque of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and the Al-Aqsa Mosque; due to the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "Do not undertake a journey except to three mosques: the Sacred Mosque, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and this mosque of mine." It is unanimously agreed upon (15). If others were to be designated by his specification, he would be bound to proceed to them, and he would need to undertake a journey to fulfill his vow therein. And because Allah the Almighty did not designate a place for His worship, so it does not become designated by someone else's specification. These three mosques are only designated due to the report that has come regarding them, and because worship in them is superior; so if he specifies what has virtue, it becomes binding upon him, like types of worship. This is what Al-Shafi'i said, according to the sound of his two opinions. He said in the other: The Al-Aqsa Mosque is not designated; because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "A prayer in this mosque of mine is better than a thousand prayers in what is besides it, except the Sacred Mosque." Narrated by Muslim (16). This indicates equality,
(15) Its extraction was mentioned previously in 3/117. (16) In: The Chapter on the Virtue of Prayer in the Mosques of Makkah and Madinah, from the Book of Hajj. Sahih Muslim 2/1012-1014. It was also extracted by Al-Bukhari, in: The Chapter on the Virtue of Prayer in the Mosque of Makkah and Madinah, from the Book of the Mosque of Makkah. Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/76. And Al-Tirmidhi, in: The Chapter on What Has Come Regarding Which Mosques Are Most Superior, from the Chapters of Prayer. Aridat al-Ahwadhi 2/122. And Ibn Majah, in: The Chapter on What Has Come Regarding the Virtue of Prayer in the Sacred Mosque..., from the Book of Establishing Prayer. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/450, 451. And Al-Nasa'i, in: The Chapter on the Virtue of Prayer in the Sacred Mosque, from =
