Fatwa ID: 08311

Written by Alimah Aisha Qureshi

Question:

Can a person doing i’tikaf leave masjid just to refresh wudu, if not broken?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

I‘tikāf is a spiritual Sunnah act of worship where a Muslim secludes themselves in a mosque to dedicate time to worship, reflection, and seeking closeness to Allah ﷻ. It is especially emphasized during the last ten nights of Ramadan, in search of Laylat al-Qadr. The reward and spiritual benefits of i‘tikāf are immense, a person leaving behind the distractions of the world to focus solely on their Creator.

While in i‘tikāf, a person is in a constant state of worship—even while sleeping or resting—so long as they remain within the mosque with the right intention.

According to Imam Abu Hanifa , the conditions of i‘tikāf are strict, a person must stay in the masjid for the whole duration day and night and can only leave for a necessity.

Therefore a person in i‘tikāf cannot leave the masjid just to refresh their Wudu if it has

not been broken. Doing so is considered leaving without necessity and would invalidate the i‘tikāf.

References:

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، عَنْ يُونُسَ، أَنَّ نَافِعًا، أَخْبَرَهُ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَعْتَكِفُ الْعَشْرَ الأَوَاخِرَ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ‏.‏

Sahih Al Bukhari Hadith 2025, sunnah.com

ولا يخرج من المسجد إلا لحاجة الإنسان أو الجمعة

Mukhtasar Al Qudoori pg 65 maktaba shamila

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Alimah Aisha Qureshi

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham