Minimum Limits of I‘tikaf

“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 (the Imam) said, ’If she goes out of the Masjid before completing three days, and had not set a condition in her Ttikaf, she is required to do what is required because of Zihar (calling on oath the back of one’s wife as the back of one’s mother).”’

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘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.’”

“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.’”

“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 not leave the Masjid until after the second three days are complete.’”

“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.’”