The Pillars of I’tikaaf

Intention (niyyah).‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab, May Allah be pleased with him, said: Iheard the Messenger of Allah, Peace and Blessings of Allah be uponhim,say: ‘Actions are but by intentions and every man shall have but thatwhich he intended. So he whose migration was for Allah and HisMessenger, his migration was for Allah and His Messenger, and he whosemigration was to achieve some worldly benefit or to take some woman inmarriage, his migration was for that for which he intended.’”(Al-Bukhaari, 1/15)

Staying in the mosque. As it says in theaayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“Wecommanded Ibraaheem and Ismaa’eel that they should purify My House (theKa‘bah at Makkah) for those who are circumambulating it, or staying(I‘tikaaf), or bowing or prostrating themselves (there, in prayer).”[al-Baqarah 2:125].

This confirms that theplace of I’tikaaf is the mosque. This is also indicated by the actionsof the Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him,and by his wives and companions after him (may Allah be pleased withthem all). And in the hadeeth from Yoonus ibn Zayd that Naafi told himfrom ‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Umar, May Allah be pleased with them both,that the Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him,  usedto do I’tikaaf in the last ten days of Ramadhan, Naafi said, ‘Abd-Allah(may Allah be pleased with him) showed me the spot where the Messengerof Allah, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him,  used to do I’tikaaf in the mosque. (Reported byMuslim, 8/308).