Fatwa ID: 05166

Answered by: Mufti Eunus Ali

Question

Asalamualaikum, Hazrat, I will be embarking on an Umrah trip in the month of Ramadan, and intend to perform i’tikaf in the Masjid Al-Haram. I need to know the conditions. When, will it be permissible for me to leave the Haram? I mean sleeping in the Haram can be quite difficult, you can’t eat in the Haram, and nor can you relieve yourself in the Haram. You can’t even take your bag inside. Finally, can we go on ziyarah during the day while in the state of i’tikaf? Please list when it will be impermissible and permissible to exit the
Haram.

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

Answer

The person observing the Sunnah I’tikaf in the last 10 days will be permitted to leave the Masjid for the following reasons:

• To relieve oneself.
• To perform wudhu.
• To perform ghusl. (When the facilities are not available in the Masjid)
• For food and drink when there is no one there to bring it to him.

To leave the Masjid for any other unnecessary reasons the I’tikaf will become invalid.

To spend more time than needed for the above-mentioned reasons outside the Masjid will result in the I’tikaf becoming invalid.

It will be necessary to return to the Masjid straight after the fulfillment of the need. As for sleeping, eating, and drinking, they are possible in the Masjid and there is no need to leave the Masjid for them. Hence it will need to be done in the Masjid.[1]

Only Allah knows best

Written by Mufti Eunus Ali

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

[1] Al-Fatawa Al-Hindiyyah, Volume 1, Page 233-234, Darul Kutubul Ilmiyyah & Behishti Zewar, Page 294, Maktaba Bait-Ul-Ilm