Can Women Do I`tikaf for a Short Time?

18 June, 2017

Q As-salamu `alaykm. I have heard that the period of i`tikaf can be as long as one prayer time. I will not be able to do i`tikaf the whole time as I have a little child, but my husband will help me in that. When he comes home, he will look after our son. My question is: some people say it is preferable to do i`tikaf at home and some say it is preferable to do it in the mosque even for ladies. What is correct, where is it preferable? If it is preferable in mosque, that is not a problem; the mosque is not too far from me. Can I go there when my husband comes home and come back home after sahur?

Answer

Zeinab Mustafa

18 June, 2017

Wa `alaykum as-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

In this fatwa:

As for the duration of i`tikaf, some scholars said that i`tikaf can be observed even for a short period of time; so you can perform i`tikaf for an hour, more or less according to your conditions and family affairs.

Elaborating whether women can do i`tikaf at home or in the mosque, the prominent Muslim scholar and Da`iyah, Zeinab Mustafa, states:

The last third of the blessed month of Ramadan is the last chance a Muslim should seize. In these days occurs the night of qadr, which is virtuous and greatly blessed to the extent that observing worship in it is better than one thousand months. A Muslim is highly encouraged to spare no efforts in these days to gain Allah’s mercy, forgiveness and redemption from the Fire.

Also, it should be clear that i`tikaf is recommended by the Sunnah for both men and women. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed i`tikaf himself and so did his wives during his life and after his death.

Accordingly, there is nothing wrong if women perform i`tikaf in the mosque provided that this will not cause any negligence to the rights of their husbands or that of their children.

However, scholars of Al-Hanafiyyah and Al-Malikiyyah are of the opinion that women can perform i`tikaf at their homes where they are accustomed to performing prayer.

I think i`tikaf for women is permissible and allowed both at home or in the mosque, but if we want to follow the pure Sunnah of the Mothers of the Believers, we find that they performed i`tikaf at home. So, it is permissible for you to do i`tikaf at home or in the mosque, whatever is more convenient to you.

Allah Almighty knows best.