Minimum Limits of I‘tikaf

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ امْرَأَةٍ كَانَ زَوْجُهَا غَائِباً فَقَدِمَ وَ هِيَ مُعْتَكِفَةٌ بِإِذْنِ زَوْجِهَا فَخَرَجَتْ حِينَ بَلَغَهَا قُدُومُهُ مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ إِلَى بَيْتِهَا فَتَهَيَّأَتْ لِزَوْجِهَا حَتَّى وَاقَعَهَا فَقَالَ إِنْ كَانَتْ خَرَجَتْ مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَنْقَضِيَ ثَلَاثَةُ أَيَّامٍ وَ لَمْ تَكُنِ اشْتَرَطَتْ فِي اعْتِكَافِهَا فَإِنَّ عَلَيْهَا مَا عَلَى الْمُظَاهِرِ.

“I once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a woman whose husband was not present. He came and she was performing Ttikaf by the permission of her husband. Upon learning that her husband has arrived, she comes out of Masjid to her house and prepares herself until he falls on her (for sexual relation). He (th

لَا يَكُونُ الِاعْتِكَافُ أَقَلَّ مِنْ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ وَ مَنِ اعْتَكَفَ صَامَ وَ يَنْبَغِي لِلْمُعْتَكِفِ‌[1] إِذَا اعْتَكَفَ أَنْ يَشْتَرِطَ كَمَا يَشْتَرِطُ الَّذِي يُحْرِمُ.

‘An Ttikaf for less than three days is not valid. One who is in Ttikaf must also fast and it is proper for one in Ttikaf to set a condition as a person in the state of ’Ihram does.’”

إِذَا اعْتَكَفَ يَوْماً وَ لَمْ يَكُنِ اشْتَرَطَ فَلَهُ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ وَ يَفْسَخَ الِاعْتِكَافَ وَ إِنْ أَقَامَ يَوْمَيْنِ وَ لَمْ يَكُنِ اشْتَرَطَ فَلَيْسَ لَهُ أَنْ يَفْسَخَ اعْتِكَافَهُ حَتَّى يَمْضِيَ ثَلَاثَةُ أَيَّامٍ.

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘If one remains in Ttikaf for one day without setting a condition, he can leave and depart the ’ Ttikaf but if one remains in ’Ttikaf for two days without condition being set, he then cannot leave out the ’Ttikaf; until three days are complete.’”

الْمُعْتَكِفُ لَا يَشَمُّ الطِّيبَ وَ لَا يَتَلَذَّذُ بِالرَّيْحَانِ وَ لَا يُمَارِي وَ لَا يَشْتَرِي وَ لَا يَبِيعُ قَالَ وَ مَنِ اعْتَكَفَ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ فَهُوَ يَوْمَ الرَّابِعِ بِالْخِيَارِ إِنْ شَاءَ زَادَ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ وَ إِنْ شَاءَ خَرَجَ مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ فَإِنْ أَقَامَ يَوْمَيْنِ بَعْدَ الثَّلَاثَةِ فَلَا يَخْرُجُ مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ حَتَّى يُتِمَّ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ.

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘In the state of ’Ttikaf one must not smell perfumes, enjoy sweet basil, argue, buy or sell.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘After three days of ’Ttikaf one has the choice to remain in ’Ttikaf for another three days or leave the Masjid. If one remains for two days after the first three days, he must

بَدَأَنِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ أَسْأَلَهُ فَقَالَ الِاعْتِكَافُ ثَلَاثَةُ أَيَّامٍ يَعْنِي السُّنَّةَ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ‌[1].

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once initiated speaking without my asking anything, ‘’Ttikaf consists of three days, meaning, according to the Sunnah, by the will of Allah.’”