What is i'tikaf?

The sunnah of the last ten nights

The Prophet ﷺ used to do i'tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan every year until he passed away, and his wives continued it after him (Sahih al-Bukhari 2026). The Quran mentions it as a known practice:

Part of the goal is to catch Laylat al-Qadr, the Night of Power, which falls in the last ten nights. See What is Laylat al-Qadr and how do I find it?

What you do during i'tikaf

• Pray, including extra night prayers.
• Read and reflect on the Quran.
• Make dhikr and long, personal dua.
• Cut down on chatting, phones and worldly distractions.

You eat, sleep and rest in the mosque. Leaving is allowed only for real needs such as the toilet, a bath, or getting food if no one can bring it. Aisha said the Prophet ﷺ wouldn't enter the house during i'tikaf except for a need (Sahih al-Bukhari 2029). Intimacy with your spouse is not allowed while in i'tikaf.

How long does it have to be?

Scholars differ:

• Shafi'i and Hanbali: any amount of time counts, even a short while, as long as you intend i'tikaf.
• Hanafi: voluntary i'tikaf can be short; the sunnah i'tikaf of the last ten days is the full ten, with fasting.
• Maliki: the minimum is a full day and night, with fasting.

So if you work full time, you can still join for a night or a weekend, or simply intend i'tikaf whenever you sit in the mosque between prayers.

Can women do i'tikaf?

Yes. The Prophet's ﷺ wives did. Most scholars say it should be in a mosque, while the Hanafi school allows a woman to do it in a dedicated prayer space at home. Many mosques in the UK, Europe and the USA run i'tikaf programs with a separate sisters' area. A woman stops i'tikaf if her period starts.