Can You Observe Itikaf on Odd-numbered Nights Only?

Question: 93998

Is it permissible for me to observe i’tikaf on the odd-numbered nights in Ramadan, because I cannot observe i’tikaf for the full ten days because I am newly married and my wife will be staying alone in my house, even though my house is close to where my parents live?

Summary of answer

It is better to observe i’tikaf during all of the last ten days of Ramadan following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). If you cannot spend all of the last ten days in i’tikaf, and you limit yourself to some of the days or nights, there is nothing wrong with that.

Answer

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah and his family.

It is better for a Muslim to observe i’tikaf during all of the last ten days, following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated from `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to spend the last ten days of Ramadan in i’tikaf until he passed away. (Narrated by al-Bukhari (2025) and Muslim (1171)

If he cannot spend all of the last ten days in i’tikaf , and he limits himself to some of the days or nights, there is nothing wrong with that.

Al-Bukhari narrated that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) vowed to spend one night in i’tikaf in al-Masjid al-Haram, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told him to fulfill his vow. (Narrated by al-Bukhari (2042) and Muslim (1656) This indicates that it is valid to observe i’tikaf for one night.

In the answer to question no. 38037 , we stated that there is no minimum for i’tikaf and we quoted a fatwa from Shaykh Ibn Baz concerning that.

What you should do is strive hard in worship during those nights, and strive to earn as much hasanah as much as you can.

And Allah knows best.

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