We have previously mentioned that staying in the mosque is a condition for the validity of I‘tikaaf (seclusion in the mosque) that cannot be valid elsewhere. Rather, there is consensus on that as mentioned by Al-Qurtubi and by Ibn Qudaamah .  in Al-Mughni. Ibn Rushd said that scholars agreed that staying in the mosque is a condition for the validity of I‘tikaaf except Muhammad ibn ‘Umar ibn Lubaabah who said it is permissible everywhere. However, this is a weak opinion. It is a condition for the man who wants to make I‘tikaaf to make it in a mosque where the congregational prayer Is prayed (especially the Friday prayer) is established so as not to miss it, unless he is one of those men who have a Sharee‘ah-approved excuse. In this case, it is permissible for him to make I‘tikaaf in any mosque even if no congregational prayer is established there. Similarly, the I‘tikaaf of the woman must be in the mosque, however, that could be a mosque where no congregational prayer is established.

When the wives of the Prophet, , asked for his permission to make I‘tikaaf, he permitted them to. Had it been permissible for them to make I‘tikaaf at home, surely he would have informed them of that just as he had informed them that the prayer of the woman in her home is better for her. So, the fact that the Prophet, , did not tell his wives that their I‘tikaaf at home is permissible and that he permitted them to make it in the mosque proves that the home is not a place for I‘tikaaf. This is an important issue because some women, as I hear, make I‘tikaaf in the place for prayer at their homes. We say again that this is not correct and the opinion that supports it is weak.