THIRD REMINDER. Yaum Al-Khamis, 15th/16th day of Ramadhan. SOME RULES OF ITIKAAF. Please read the first two Reminders first. Request for copy if you missed any. BismilLaahir Rahmaanir Raheem. A person should stay in a mosque for the duration of the I’tikaf (except for certain things as going out to ease yourself if the masjid has no toilet facilities). Our mother Aa’ishah may Allah be pleased with her reported that when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) observed I’tikaf, he did not enter the house except to relieve himself. Narrated by Muslim (297). Similarly, he or she also needs to eat and drink. If he does not have anyone who can bring him food and drink, then he may go out to get them if he needs to. For everything that he cannot do without and cannot do in the mosque, he may go out for that purpose, and that does not invalidate his I’tikaf, so long as he does not take a long time doing it and does not divert into any worldly gains. A person is prohibited from engaging in sexual relations with his wives during the period of I’tikaf. Allah tells us in the Quran: “And do not have sexual relations with them (your wives) while you are in I’tikaf (i.e. confining oneself in a mosque for prayers and invocations leaving the worldly activities) in the mosques” [Surah al-Baqarah 2:187]. A person may leave the mosque if he or she is extremely sick. That for a person in I’tikaf who is so sick that it is too hard for him to stay in the mosque because he needs to be in his bed, and he needs to be helped and to be visited by the doctor etc, it is permissible for him to leave the mosque Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) stated in al-Majmoo’ (6/545). A wife must not take part without the permission of her husband. Non married sisters can participate only if a masjid arrange sisters facilities in the masjid or a secure place for them under strict guidelines. They (the scholars) said that one of the greatest aims of I’tikaf is to seek Laylat al-Qadr, and (to observe I’tikaf in the last ten nights of Ramadan.) [Stated by al-Sindi in Haashiyat al-Nasaa’i. See al-Mughni, 4/489]. A person should come out of I’tikaf when Ramadan ends. Ramadan ends when the sun sets on the night of Eid. Fataawa al-Siyaam, p. 502. (Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen). May ALLAH keep guiding us all and protect us from any satanic influences. Aameen.