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Further clarifications on some matters that you asked concerning al-

Itifaaf

Whether ones Itikaaf isfar(because one made nadhar) or nafl, it can be placed into one ofthree broad categories, depending on the nature of onesintention.

These three categories are illustrated below:

(A)A person intended to make Itikaaf, without specifyinsg a period of time or makingcontinuity (tatbu) a condition.

In this case, ones Itikaaf is broken if one leaves the mosque, even if for the necessary relieving

of ones bowels; if one did not have it firmly in ones mind (azm) to return to the mosque and

continue ones Itikaaf immediately after relieving oneself. If one did have it firmly in ones mind

to return for the continuation of ones Itikaaf, then ones Itikaaf in such a case was not

interrupted.

Lets say for example that one entered the mosque at 12:00 PM. Upon entering the mosque, one

made intention for Itikaaf. One then leaves at 01:00 PM, without intending to return to the

mosque for the continuation of ones Itikaaf. One then returned to the mosque at 01:30 PM and

remained therein until 04:00. Ones Itikaaf would only be the period between 12:00 and 1:00

PM. The remainder of the time spent in the mosque was not Iikaaf (unless one made a new

intention).

(B)A person intended to make Itikaaf fora specific period of time (one month, for example)but did not stipulate continuity (tatbu ) as a condition of his Itikaaf.

In this case, one may complete a months worth of Itikaaf,whether in an unbroken continuity or

separately, by completing the hours of one month, even if over the period of a year or more.

In such a case, if one leaves the mosque in order to relieve ones bowels, ones Itikaaf is not

interrupted, even if one did not have it firmly in ones mind to return to the mosque for the

continuity of ones Itikaaf as soon as one finished relieving oneself.

If one leaves for other than for the purpose of relieving oneself, then ones Itikaaf is broken, and

one must renew ones intention in order to continue ones month worth of Itikaaf.

Lets say for example one began ones Itikaaf at 12:00 PM and then left at 06:00 PM in order to

relieve oneself, then returned at 06:10 PM and stayed until 12 PM the following day, one would

have completed 24 hours of Itikaaf (including the 10 min spent relieving oneself).

If one left for other than relieving oneself in the same scenario, then ones Itikaaf would have

been 23 hours 50 min.

(C)A person intended to make Itikaaf continuously (mutatbian) for a specific period oftime.

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In this case, one may not leave the mosque, except for a reason that does not interrupt the

continuity of al-Itikaaf. If one leaves for a valid reason, one need not renew onesintention upon

reentering the mosque, and one need not have a azmto return before leaving the mosque.

If one leaves for no reason or for a reason that will interrupt the continuity of the Itikaaf, one

must renew ones intention upon reentry of the mosque, and continue ones itkaaf from whence

interrupted.

Things that interrupt the continuity of the Itikaaf

Everything (which will be mentioned below) that invalidates the Itikaaf interrupts it as well.

Its continuity is also interrupted by:

(1) Purposely leaving the mosque for invalid reasons.(2) Menstruation; if the length of the Itikaaf is less than 15 days (least amount of uhr

purity). However, if the length the Itikaaf is more than 15 days, then menstruation will

not interrupt its continuity, but the period of menstruation will not be counted as a part of

the Itikaaf.Things invalidate the Itikaaf

(1) Sexual intercourse, knowingly and present of mind.(2) Ejaculation. However, if the ejaculation results from a reason that does not invalidate the

fast (awm), then ones Itikaaf remains valid if one immediately performs the ritual bath

(ghusl) if possible. If one performs theghuslimmediately, then ones Itikaaf is not

invalid, but the period of time spent in janbahis not counted as part of ones Itikaaf.

(3) Menstruation and post-natal bleeding.(4) Self-inflicted insanity or loss of consciousness. However, if they were not self-inflicted,

they will not affect the validity of the Itikaaf; if: (a) one wasnt taken out of the mosque

(b) one was taken out of the mosque because it was impossible or difficult to keep one

therein. This means that if one was removed from the mosque while it wasnt impossible

or difficult to keep one therein, ones Itikaaf was invalidated.

(5) Menstruation and post-natal bleeding.(6) Being drunk. However, if one becomes drunk accidentally, ones Itikaaf will not be

broken.

(7) Apostasy _ . Valid reasons for leaving the mosque

(1) Relieving oneself (passing urine feces or gas).Leaving the mosque in order to relieve oneself does not interrupt the continuity the Itikaaf even

if much (such as when one is afflicted with diarrhea).

It is not necessary that one waits until it becomes a necessity for one to leave the mosque in order

to relieve oneself, rather one averages based on ones grasp of ones own bowel movements and

circadian rhythm.

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One is not obligated to use the washroom facilities at the mosque if one feels that they are not

suitable for the likes of oneself or that using them is difficult for one.

One is likewise not obligated to use the washroom facilities of a friends house that is closer to

the mosque than ones own if ones own is not very far away.

If one left the mosque in order to relieve oneself, one is allowed to perform the ablution (wu)outside of the mosque after relieving oneself. However one may not leave the mosque purely for

the sake of performing the ablution, except if it is absolutely impossible or difficult to perform the

ablution within the boundaries of the mosque.

(2) For food and eating.If one is making Itikaaf one may leave the mosque in order to procure food.

If one has food with one in the mosque, one is also permitted to leave the mosque in order to eat,

since some may feel shy to eat in the mosque. However, this applies only to mosques that have a

non-constant, frequently coming-and-going congregation (such as a mosque on a busy street

where passersby may stop to perform the prayer then leavemasjid marq). Per contra, if themosque is one with a congregation of regular members (i.e. the same set of persons all year round

- masjid ghayr marqor mahjr), then one is not allowed to leave the mosque in order to eat

[except if one is shy or self-conscious about eating, even those one is well-acquainted with,

according to Imm Alal-Shubrmullis]

Note: Leaving the mosque for something to drink or for drinking is not the same as leaving for

food or eating, if one can access that in the mosque or something to drink can be brought to one,

even if from ones home.

(3) Obligatory ritual bath (ghusl(4) Removal of non-excused najsah(filth)

Note: If ones home is far away from the mosque and it is possible for one to do any of the above

at a closer location (like the home of a relative or friend), then one must use the closer location. If

one went to ones own home(which is farther away), ones Itikaaf would be invalidated. The

same applies if one has two homes, one close to the mosque; the other far away.

Far away is defined as: the place of relieving oneself being four hours away from the mosque,

according to some scholars. According to the relied upon position (al-mutamad), far away is

when the place of relieving oneself is at such a distance that one would spend more time going to

and coming from it than one would spend in the mosque. According to Imm Al-alab (1092 H)

each day is considered separately when calculating whether one spent more time going and

coming from the place of relieving oneself than one spent in the mosque, while others say that theentire length of the Itikaaf is considered all together. According to this view, if the period of

ones Itikaaf wasone month, the place where one relieved oneself would only be considered far

away if one spent a combined time of 16 days going to and coming from it. If 15 days or less,

the place of relieving oneself would not be considered far away.

Note:If one stopped on ones way to or from the place of relieving oneself to visit a sick (who is

not a relative or hasnt a person to look after him/her), perform a funeral prayer, visit one who has

returned from a long journey or the likes, ones Itikaaf is not invalidated; if(a)the length of time

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one stopped for is shortjust enough to perform a regular-length funeral prayer (b)one doesnt

divert from the rout between the mosque and the place of reliving oneself (c)one doesnt slow

down from ones normal pace of movement while heading back to the mosque.

If the sick person is ones relative and hasnt anyone to look after him/her, one is permitted to

leave the Itikaaf in order to attend to the sick, and ones Itikaaf would not be invalidated.

Note: One may visit the sick and the traveller who returned and perform the funeral prayer (or

visit a grave on the way to or from the mosque) all in one exit, and one may do so everytime one

leaves to relieve oneself, according to al-ImmIbn ajr al-Haytam(d. 909 H).

(5) Illness.

What is meant by mosquein the above rulings?

By mosque, we mean the building of the mosque and any enclosed space around it that was

dedicated to it initially.

This includes:

- The praying area (muall).

- The roof.

- The walls and any part that extends therefrom or any space that is carved there into.

- Awnings that are built over the doors of the mosque, even if they extend into the streets.

- The space above the mosque (like making Itikaaf in a hammock that hangs above the mosque).

- The yard or courtyard of the mosque. Al-Bujayram (d. 1221 H) defined this as: What was

fenced around for the purpose of the mosque, even if it is not known to be from what was

endowed (waqf) [for the mosque], and even if pathway runs through it [as long as the pathway

was there] when the mosque was first built.- A patio attached to the mosque when it was first built. Patios built later are not part of the

mosque, unless they are built in the yard of the mosque.

- A tree, the root of which is in the yard of the mosque, even if its branches hang outside its fence.

* The mosques toilets and places where garbage is kept are not considered masjidas is relates to

the rulings of masjid.