Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Urwa ibn az- Zubayr from Amra bint Abd ar-Rahman that A'isha, the wife of the Prophet ﷺ said,"When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did itikaf he would bring his head near to me and I would comb it. He would only go into the house to relieve himself."  

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا اعْتَكَفَ يُدْنِي إِلَىَّ رَأْسَهُ فَأُرَجِّلُهُ وَكَانَ لاَ يَدْخُلُ الْبَيْتَ إِلاَّ لِحَاجَةِ الإِنْسَانِ  

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Amra bint Abd ar-Rahman that when A'isha was doing itikaf she would only ask after sick people if she was walking and not if she was standing still. Malik said, "A person doing itikaf should not carry out obligations of his, nor leave the mosque for them, nor should he help anyone. He should only leave the mosque to relieve himself. If he were able to go out to do things for people, visiting the sick, praying over the dead and following funeral processions would be the things with the most claim on his coming out." Malik said, "A person doing itikaf is not doing itikaf until he avoids what some one doing itikaf should avoid, namely, visiting the sick, praying over the dead, and entering houses, except to relieve himself."  

أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ كَانَتْ إِذَا اعْتَكَفَتْ لاَ تَسْأَلُ عَنِ الْمَرِيضِ إِلاَّ وَهِيَ تَمْشِي لاَ تَقِفُ. قالَ يَحْيى، قالَ مالِكٌ: لاَ يَأْتِي المُعْتَكِفُ حاجَةً. ولاَ يَخْرُجُ لَها. ولاَ يُعِينُ أحَدًا. إلاَّ أنْ يَخْرُجَ لِحاجَةِ الإنْسانِ. ولَوْ كانَ خارِجًا لِحاجَةِ أحَدٍ، لَكانَ أحَقَّ ما يُخْرَجُ إلَيْهِ، عِيادَةُ المَرِيضِ، والصَّلاَةُ عَلى الجَنائِزِ واتِّباعُها. قالَ يَحْيى، قالَ مالِكٌ: ولاَ يَكُونُ المُعْتَكِفُ مُعْتَكِفًا، حَتّى يَجْتَنِبَ ما يَجْتَنِبُ المُعْتَكِفُ. مِن عِيادَةِ المَرِيضِ، والصَّلاَةِ عَلى الجَنائِزِ، ودُخُولِ البَيْتِ، إلاَّ لِحاجَةِ الإنْسانِ.  

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had asked Ibn Shihab whether someone doing itikaf could go into a house to relieve himself, and he said, "Yes, there is no harm in that." Malik said, "The situation that we are all agreed upon here is that there is no disapproval of anyone doing itikaf in a mosque where jumua is held. The only reason I see for disapproving of doing itikaf in a mosque where jumua is not held is that the man doing itikaf would have to leave the mosque where he was doing itikaf in order to go to jumua, or else not go there at all. If, however, he is doing itikaf in a mosque where jumua is not held, and he does not have to go to jumua in any other mosque, then I see no harm in him doing itikaf there, because Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, says, 'While you are doing itikaf in mosques,' and refers to all mosques in general, without specifying any particular kind." Malik continued, "Accordingly, it is permissiblefor a man to do itikaf in a mosque where jumua is not held if he does not have to leave it to go to a mosque where jumua is held." Malik said, "A person doing itikaf should spend the night only in the mosque where he is doing itikaf, except if his tent is in one of the courtyards of the mosque. I have never heard that someone doing itikaf can put up a shelter anywhere except in the mosque itself or in one of the courtyards of the mosque. Part of what shows that he must spend the night in the mosque is the saying of A'isha, 'When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was doing itikaf, he would only go into the house to relieve himself.' Nor should he do itikaf on the roof of the mosque or in the minaret." Malik said, "The person who is going to do itikaf should enter the place where he wishes to do itikaf before the sun sets on the night when he wishes to begin his itikaf, so that he is ready to begin the itikaf at the beginning of the night when he is going to start his itikaf. A person doing itikaf should be occupied with his itikaf, and not turn his attention to other things which might occupy him, such as trading or whatever. There is no harm, however, if some one doing itikaf tells some one to do something for him regarding his estate, or the affairs of his family, or tells someone to sell some property of his, or something else that does not occupy him directly. There is no harm in him arranging for someone else to do that for him if it is a simple matter." Malik said, "I have never heard any of the people of knowledge mentioning any modification as far as how to do itikaf is concerned. Itikaf is an act of ibada like the prayer, fasting, the hajj, and such like acts, whether they are obligatory or voluntary. Anyone who begins doing any of these acts should do them according to what has come down in the sunna. He should not start doing anything in them that the muslims have not done, whether it is a modification that he imposes on others, or one that he begins doing himself. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ practised itikaf, and the muslims know what the sunna of itikaf is." Malik said, "Itikaf and jiwar are the same, and Itikaf is the same for a village-dweller as it is for a nomad."  

عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَعْتَكِفُ هَلْ يَدْخُلُ لِحَاجَتِهِ تَحْتَ سَقْفٍ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ لاَ بَأْسَ بِذَلِكَ قَالَ مَالِكٌ الأَمْرُ عِنْدَنَا الَّذِي لاَ اخْتِلاَفَ فِيهِ أَنَّهُ لاَ يُكْرَهُ الاِعْتِكَافُ فِي كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ يُجَمَّعُ فِيهِ وَلاَ أُرَاهُ كُرِهَ الاِعْتِكَافُ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ الَّتِي لاَ يُجَمَّعُ فِيهَا إِلاَّ كَرَاهِيَةَ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ الْمُعْتَكِفُ مِنْ مَسْجِدِهِ الَّذِي اعْتَكَفَ فِيهِ إِلَى الْجُمُعَةِ أَوْ يَدَعَهَا فَإِنْ كَانَ مَسْجِدًا لاَ يُجَمَّعُ فِيهِ الْجُمُعَةُ وَلاَ يَجِبُ عَلَى صَاحِبِهِ إِتْيَانُ الْجُمُعَةِ فِي مَسْجِدٍ سِوَاهُ فَإِنِّي لاَ أَرَى بَأْسًا بِالاِعْتِكَافِ فِيهِ لأَنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى قَالَ وَأَنْتُمْ عَاكِفُونَ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ فَعَمَّ اللَّهُ الْمَسَاجِدَ كُلَّهَا وَلَمْ يَخُصَّ شَيْئًا مِنْهَا قَالَ مَالِكٌ فَمِنْ هُنَالِكَ جَازَ لَهُ أَنْ يَعْتَكِفَ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ الَّتِي لاَ يُجَمَّعُ فِيهَا الْجُمُعَةُ إِذَا كَانَ لاَ يَجِبُ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ مِنْهُ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الَّذِي تُجَمَّعُ فِيهِ الْجُمُعَةُ قَالَ مَالِكٌ وَلاَ يَبِيتُ الْمُعْتَكِفُ إِلاَّ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ الَّذِي اعْتَكَفَ فِيهِ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ خِبَاؤُهُ فِي رَحَبَةٍ مِنْ رِحَابِ الْمَسْجِدِ وَلَمْ أَسْمَعْ أَنَّ الْمُعْتَكِفَ يَضْرِبُ بِنَاءً يَبِيتُ فِيهِ إِلاَّ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ أَوْ فِي رَحَبَةٍ مِنْ رِحَابِ الْمَسْجِدِ وَمِمَّا يَدُلُّ عَلَى أَنَّهُ لاَ يَبِيتُ إِلاَّ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ قَوْلُ عَائِشَةَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا اعْتَكَفَ لاَ يَدْخُلُ الْبَيْتَ إِلاَّ لِحَاجَةِ الإِنْسَانِ وَلاَ يَعْتَكِفُ فَوْقَ ظَهْرِ الْمَسْجِدِ وَلاَ فِي الْمَنَارِ يَعْنِي الصَّوْمَعَةَ وَقَالَ مَالِكٌ يَدْخُلُ الْمُعْتَكِفُ الْمَكَانَ الَّذِي يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَعْتَكِفَ فِيهِ قَبْلَ غُرُوبِ الشَّمْسِ مِنَ اللَّيْلَةِ الَّتِي يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَعْتَكِفَ فِيهَا حَتَّى يَسْتَقْبِلَ بِاعْتِكَافِهِ أَوَّلَ اللَّيْلَةِ الَّتِي يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَعْتَكِفَ فِيهَا وَالْمُعْتَكِفُ مُشْتَغِلٌ بِاعْتِكَافِهِ لاَ يَعْرِضُ لِغَيْرِهِ مِمَّا يَشْتَغِلُ بِهِ مِنَ التِّجَارَاتِ أَوْ غَيْرِهَا وَلاَ بَأْسَ بِأَنْ يَأْمُرَ الْمُعْتَكِفُ بِبَعْضِ حَاجَتِهِ بِضَيْعَتِهِ وَمَصْلَحَةِ أَهْلِهِ وَأَنْ يَأْمُرَ بِبَيْعِ مَالِهِ أَوْ بِشَىْءٍ لاَ يَشْغَلُهُ فِي نَفْسِهِ فَلاَ بَأْسَ بِذَلِكَ إِذَا كَانَ خَفِيفًا أَنْ يَأْمُرَ بِذَلِكَ مَنْ يَكْفِيهِ إِيَّاهُ قَالَ مَالِكٌ لَمْ أَسْمَعْ أَحَدًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ يَذْكُرُ فِي الاِعْتِكَافِ شَرْطًا وَإِنَّمَا الاِعْتِكَافُ عَمَلٌ مِنَ الأَعْمَالِ مِثْلُ الصَّلاَةِ وَالصِّيَامِ وَالْحَجِّ وَمَا أَشْبَهَ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الأَعْمَالِ مَا كَانَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَرِيضَةً أَوْ نَافِلَةً فَمَنْ دَخَلَ فِي شَىْءٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَإِنَّمَا يَعْمَلُ بِمَا مَضَى مِنَ السُّنَّةِ وَلَيْسَ لَهُ أَنْ يُحْدِثَ فِي ذَلِكَ غَيْرَ مَا مَضَى عَلَيْهِ الْمُسْلِمُونَ لاَ مِنْ شَرْطٍ يَشْتَرِطُهُ وَلاَ يَبْتَدِعُهُ وَقَدِ اعْتَكَفَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَعَرَفَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ سُنَّةَ الاِعْتِكَافِ قَالَ مَالِكٌ وَالاِعْتِكَافَ وَالْجِوَارُ سَوَاءٌ وَالاِعْتِكَافُ لِلْقَرَوِيِّ وَالْبَدَوِيِّ سَوَاءٌ  

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that al-Qasim ibn Muhammad and Nafi, the mawla of Abdullah ibn Umar said, "You cannot do itikaf unless you are fasting, because of what Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, says in His Book, 'And eat and drink until the white thread becomes clear to you from the black thread of dawn, then complete the fast until night-time, and do not have intercourse with them while you are doing itikaf in mosques,' (Sura 2 ayat 187). Allah only mentions itikaf together with fasting." Malik said, "That is what we go by here."  

قَالاَ لاَ اعْتِكَافَ إِلاَّ بِصِيَامٍ بِقَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى فِي كِتَابِهِ وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا الصِّيَامَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ وَلاَ تُبَاشِرُوهُنَّ وَأَنْتُمْ عَاكِفُونَ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ فَإِنَّمَا ذَكَرَ اللَّهُ الاِعْتِكَافَ مَعَ الصِّيَامِ قَالَ مَالِكٌ وَعَلَى ذَلِكَ الأَمْرُ عِنْدَنَا أَنَّهُ لاَ اعْتِكَافَ إِلاَّ بِصِيَامٍ  

Yahya related to me that Ziyad ibn Abd ar-Rahman said, "Malik related to us from Sumayy, the mawla of Abu Bakr ibn Abd ar-Rahman, that Abu Bakr ibn Abd ar-Rahman was once doing itikaf and he would go out to relieve himself in a closed room under a roofed passage in Khalid ibn Walid's house. Otherwise he did not leave his place of itikaf until he went to pray at the Id with the muslims."  

أَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرِ بْنَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ اعْتَكَفَ فَكَانَ يَذْهَبُ لِحَاجَتِهِ تَحْتَ سَقِيفَةٍ فِي حُجْرَةٍ مُغْلَقَةٍ فِي دَارِ خَالِدِ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ ثُمَّ لاَ يَرْجِعُ حَتَّى يَشْهَدَ الْعِيدَ مَعَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ  

Yahya related to me from Ziyad from Malik that he saw some of the people of knowledge who, when they did itikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan, would not go back to their families until they had attended the Id al-Fitr with everybody. Ziyad said that Malik said, "I heard this from the people of excellence who have passed away, and it is what I like most out of what I have heard about the matter."  

أَنَّهُ رَأَى بَعْضَ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ إِذَا اعْتَكَفُوا الْعَشْرَ الأَوَاخِرَ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ لاَ يَرْجِعُونَ إِلَى أَهَالِيهِمْ حَتَّى يَشْهَدُوا الْفِطْرَ مَعَ النَّاسِ قَالَ زِيَادٌ قَالَ مَالِكٌ وَبَلَغَنِي ذَلِكَ عَنْ أَهْلِ الْفَضْلِ الَّذِينَ مَضَوْا وَهَذَا أَحَبُّ مَا سَمِعْتُ إِلَىَّ فِي ذَلِكَ  

Ziyad related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Amra bint Abd ar-Rahman from A'isha that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ once wanted to do itikaf, and when he went off to the place where he wanted to do itikaf he found some tents there, which were A'isha's tent, Hafsa's tent, and Zaynab's tent. When he saw them he asked about them and someone told him that they were the tents of A'isha, Hafsa and Zaynab. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Do you think them devout?" Then he left, and did not do itikaf until Shawwal, when he then did it for ten days.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَعْتَكِفَ فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ إِلَى الْمَكَانِ الَّذِي أَرَادَ أَنْ يَعْتَكِفَ فِيهِ وَجَدَ أَخْبِيَةً خِبَاءَ عَائِشَةَ وَخِبَاءَ حَفْصَةَ وَخِبَاءَ زَيْنَبَ فَلَمَّا رَآهَا سَأَلَ عَنْهَا فَقِيلَ لَهُ هَذَا خِبَاءُ عَائِشَةَ وَحَفْصَةَ وَزَيْنَبَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ آلْبِرَّ تَقُولُونَ بِهِنَّ ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ فَلَمْ يَعْتَكِفْ حَتَّى اعْتَكَفَ عَشْرًا مِنْ شَوَّالٍ  

Malik was asked whether someone who went into a mosque to do itikaf for the last ten days of Ramadan and stayed there for a day or two but then became ill and left the mosque, had to do itikaf for the number of days that were left from the ten, or not, and if he did have to do so, then what month should he do it in, and he replied, "He should make up whatever he has to do of the itikaf when he recovers, whether in Ramadan or otherwise. I have heard that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ once wanted to do itikaf in Ramadan, but then came back without having done so, and then when Ramadan had gone, he did itikaf for ten days in Shawwal. Some one who does itikaf voluntarily in Ramadan and some one who has to do itikaf are in the same position regarding what is halal for them and what is haram. I have not heard that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ever did itikaf other than voluntarily." Malik said, that if a woman did itikaf and then menstruated during her itikaf, she went back to her house, and, when she was pure again she returned to the mosque, at whatever time it was that she became pure. She then continued her itikaf from where she left off. This was the same situation as with a woman who had to fast two consecutive months, and who menstruated and then became pure. She then continued the fast from where she had left off and did not delay doing so.  

قالَ يَحْيى، قالَ زِيادٌ: وسُئِلَ مالِكٌ عَنْ رَجُلٍ دَخَلَ المَسْجِدَ لِعُكُوفٍ فِي العَشْرِ الأواخِرِ مِن رَمَضانَ. فَأقامَ يَوْمًا، أوْ يَوْمَيْنِ. ثُمَّ مَرِضَ. فَخَرَجَ مِنَ المَسْجِدِ. أيَجِبُ عَلَيْهِ أنْ يَعْتَكِفَ ما بَقِيَ مِنَ العَشْرِ، إذا صَحَّ، أمْ لاَ يَجِبُ ذلِكَ عَلَيْهِ، وفِي أيِّ شَهْرٍ يَعْتَكِفُ، إنْ وجَبَ ذلِكَ عَلَيْهِ؟ فَقالَ مالِكٌ: يَقْضِي ما وجَبَ عَلَيْهِ مِن عُكُوفٍ. إذا صَحَّ، فِي رَمَضانَ، أوْ غَيْرِهِ. قالَ مالِكٌ وقَدْ بَلَغَنِي أنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ أرادَ العُكُوفَ فِي رَمَضانَ. ثُمَّ رَجَعَ فَلَمْ يَعْتَكِفْ. حَتّى إذا ذَهَبَ رَمَضانُ، اعْتَكَفَ عَشْرًا مِن شَوّالٍ. قالَ يَحْيى، قالَ زِيادٌ، قالَ مالِكٌ والمُتَطَوِّعُ فِي الِاعْتِكافِ، والَّذِي عَلَيْهِ الِاعْتِكافُ، أمْرُهُما واحِدٌ. فِيما يَحِلُّ لَهُما، ويَحْرُمُ عَلَيْهِما. ولَمْ يَبْلُغْنِي أنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ كانَ اعْتِكافُهُ إلاَّ تَطَوُّعًا. قالَ يَحْيى، قالَ زِيادٌ، قالَ مالِكٌ، فِي المَرْأةِ: إنَّها إذا اعْتَكَفَتْ، ثُمَّ حاضَتْ فِي اعْتِكافِها، إنَّها تَرْجِعُ إلى بَيْتِها. فَإذا طَهُرَتْ رَجَعَتْ إلى المَسْجِدِ أيَّةَ ساعَةٍ طَهُرَتْ، ولاَ تُأخِّرُ ذلِكَ، ثُمَّ تَبْنِي عَلى ما مَضى مِنَ اعْتِكافِها. قالَ يَحْيى، قالَ زِيادٌ، قالَ مالِكٌ: ومِثْلُ ذلِكَ، المَرْأةُ، يَجِبُ عَلَيْها صِيامُ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتابِعَيْنِ. فَتَحِيضُ، ثُمَّ تَطْهُرُ. فَتَبْنِي عَلى ما مَضى مِن صِيامِها. ولاَ تُؤَخِّرُ ذلِكَ.  

Ziyad related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to go to relieve himself in houses. Malik said, "Someone doing itikaf should not leave for his parents' funeral or for anything else."  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ يَذْهَبُ لِحَاجَةِ الإِنْسَانِ فِي الْبُيُوتِ قَالَ مَالِكٌ لاَ يَخْرُجُ الْمُعْتَكِفُ مَعَ جَنَازَةِ أَبَوَيْهِ وَلاَ مَعَ غَيْرِهَا  

Malik said, "There is no harm in someone who is in itikaf entering into a marriage contract as long as there is no physical relationship. A woman in itikaf may also be betrothed as long as there is no physical relationship. What is haram for someone in itikaf in relation to his womenfolk during the day is haram for him during the night." Yahya said that Ziyad said that Malik said, "It is not halal for a man to have intercourse with his wife while he is in itikaf, nor for him to take pleasure in her by kissing her, or whatever. However, I have not heard anyone disapproving of a man, or woman, in itikaf getting married as long as there is no physical relationship. Marriage is not disapproved of for someone fasting." "There is, however, a distinction between the marriage of someone in itikaf and that of someone who is muhrim, in that some one who is muhrim can eat, drink, visit the sick and attend funerals, but cannot put on perfume, whilst a man or woman in itikaf can put on oil and perfume and groom their hair, but cannot attend funerals or pray over the dead or visit the sick. Thus their situations with regard to marriage are different." "This is the sunna as it has come down to us regarding marriage for those who are muhrim, doing itikaf, or fasting.  

قالَ يَحْيى، قالَ زِيادٌ، قالَ مالِكٌ: لاَ بَأْسَ بِنِكاحِ المُعْتَكِفِ نِكاحَ المِلْكِ. ما لَمْ يَكُنِ المَسِيسُ. والمَرْأةُ المُعْتَكِفَةُ أيْضًا، تُنْكَحُ نِكاحَ الخِطْبَةِ. ما لَمْ يَكُنِ المَسِيسُ. قالَ: ويَحْرُمُ عَلى المُعْتَكِفِ مِن أهْلِهِ بِاللَّيْلِ، ما يَحْرُمُ عَلَيْهِ مِنهُمْ بِالنَّهارِ. قالَ مالِكٌ: ولاَ يَحِلُّ لِرَجُلٍ أنْ يَمَسَّ امْرَأتَهُ وهُوَ مُعْتَكِفٌ. ولاَ يَتَلَذَّذُ مِنها بِشَيْءٍ، بِقُبْلَةٍ، ولاَ غَيْرِها. قالَ زِيادٌ، قالَ مالِكٌ: ولَمْ أسْمَعْ أحَدًا يَكْرَهُ لِلْمُعْتَكِفِ، ولاَ لِلْمُعْتَكِفَةِ أنْ يَنْكِحا فِي اعْتِكافِهِما. ما لَمْ يَكُنِ المَسِيسُ. ولاَ يُكْرَهُ لِلصّائِمِ أنْ يَنْكِحَ فِي صِيامِهِ. وفَرْقٌ بَيْنَ نِكاحِ المُعْتَكِفِ، وبَيْنَ نِكاحِ المُحْرِمِ. أنَّ المُحْرِمَ يَأْكُلُ، ويَشْرَبُ، ويَعُودُ المَرِيضَ، ويَشْهَدُ الجَنائِزَ، ولاَ يَتَطَيَّبُ. [والمُعْتَكِفُ] والمُعْتَكِفَةُ، يَدَّهِنانِ، ويَتَطَيَّبانِ، ويَأْخُذُ كُلُّ واحِدٍ مِنهُما مِن شَعَرِهِ، ولاَ يَشْهَدانِ الجَنائِزَ، ولاَ يُصَلِّيانِ عَلَيْها، ولاَ يَعُودانِ المَرْضى. فَأمْرُهُما فِي النِّكاحِ مُخْتَلِفٌ. قالَ زِيادٌ، قالَ مالِكٌ: وذلِكَ لِما مَضى مِنَ السُّنَّةِ، فِي نِكاحِ المُحْرِمِ، والمُعْتَكِفِ، والصّائِمِ.  

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yazid ibn Abdullah ibn al- Hadi from Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Harith at-Taymi from Abu Salama ibn Abd ar-Rahman that Abu Said al-Khudri said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to do itikaf in the middle ten days of Ramadan. One year he was doing itikaf and then, when it came to the night of the twenty-first, which was the night before the morning when he would normally have finished his itikaf, he said, 'Whoever has done i'tikaf with me should continue doing itikaf for the last ten days. I saw a certain night and then I was made to forget it. I saw myself prostrating the following morning in water and clay. Look for it in the last ten days, and look for it on the odd days.' " Abu Said continued, "The sky poured with rain that night and the mosque had a roof (made of palm fronds) and the mosque was soaked. With my own eyes I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ leave with traces of water and clay on his forehead and nose, in the morning after the night of the twenty- first."  

أَنَّهُ قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَعْتَكِفُ الْعَشْرَ الْوُسُطَ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ فَاعْتَكَفَ عَامًا حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ لَيْلَةَ إِحْدَى وَعِشْرِينَ وَهِيَ اللَّيْلَةُ الَّتِي يَخْرُجُ فِيهَا مِنْ صُبْحِهَا مِنَ اعْتِكَافِهِ قَالَ مَنِ اعْتَكَفَ مَعِي فَلْيَعْتَكِفِ الْعَشْرَ الأَوَاخِرَ وَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةَ ثُمَّ أُنْسِيتُهَا وَقَدْ رَأَيْتُنِي أَسْجُدُ مِنْ صُبْحِهَا فِي مَاءٍ وَطِينٍ فَالْتَمِسُوهَا فِي الْعَشْرِ الأَوَاخِرِ وَالْتَمِسُوهَا فِي كُلِّ وِتْرٍ قَالَ أَبُو سَعِيدٍ فَأُمْطِرَتِ السَّمَاءُ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ وَكَانَ الْمَسْجِدُ عَلَى عَرِيشٍ فَوَكَفَ الْمَسْجِدُ قَالَ أَبُو سَعِيدٍ فَأَبْصَرَتْ عَيْنَاىَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ انْصَرَفَ وَعَلَى جَبْهَتِهِ وَأَنْفِهِ أَثَرُ الْمَاءِ وَالطِّينِ مِنْ صُبْحِ لَيْلَةِ إِحْدَى وَعِشْرِينَ  

Ziyad related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn Urwa from his father that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Search for Laylat al-Qadr in the last ten days of Ramadan."  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ تَحَرَّوْا لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ فِي الْعَشْرِ الأَوَاخِرِ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ  

Ziyad related to me from Malik from Abdullah ibn Dinar from Abdullah ibn Umar that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said. "Search for Laylat al-Qadr in the last seven days."  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ تَحَرَّوْا لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ فِي السَّبْعِ الأَوَاخِرِ  

Ziyad related to me from Malik from Abu'n Nadr, the mawla of Umar ibn Ubaydullah, that Abdullah ibn Unays al-Juhani said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ "Messenger of Allah, I am a man whose house is a long way away. Tell me one night so that I can stop my journey for it." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Stop on the twenty-third night of Ramadan."  

قَالَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي رَجُلٌ شَاسِعُ الدَّارِ فَمُرْنِي لَيْلَةً أَنْزِلُ لَهَا فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ انْزِلْ لَيْلَةَ ثَلاَثٍ وَعِشْرِينَ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ  

Ziyad related to me from Malik from Humayd at-Tawil that 'Anas ibn Malik said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came out to us in Ramadan and said, 'I was shown a certain night in Ramadan and then two men abused each other and it was taken away. Look for it on the ninth and the seventh and the fifth.' "  

أَنَّهُ قَالَ خَرَجَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي رَمَضَانَ فَقَالَ إِنِّي أُرِيتُ هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةَ فِي رَمَضَانَ حَتَّى تَلاَحَى رَجُلاَنِ فَرُفِعَتْ فَالْتَمِسُوهَا فِي التَّاسِعَةِ وَالسَّابِعَةِ وَالْخَامِسَةِ  

Ziyad related to me from Malik from Nafi from Ibn 'Umar that some of the companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ were shown Laylat al-Qadr in their sleep during the last seven days. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "I see that your visions agree about the last seven days, so whoever is searching for it should do so in the last seven days."  

أَنَّ رِجَالاً مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أُرُوا لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ فِي الْمَنَامِ فِي السَّبْعِ الأَوَاخِرِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِنِّي أَرَى رُؤْيَاكُمْ قَدْ تَوَاطَأَتْ فِي السَّبْعِ الأَوَاخِرِ فَمَنْ كَانَ مُتَحَرِّيَهَا فَلْيَتَحَرَّهَا فِي السَّبْعِ الأَوَاخِرِ  

Ziyad related to me from Malik that he had heard a man he trusted of the people of knowledge say, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was shown the lifespans of the people (who had gone) before him, or what Allah willed of that, and it was as if the lives of the people of his community had become too short for them to be able to do as many good actions as others before them had been able to do with their long lives, so Allah gave him Laylat al- Qadr, which is better than a thousand months."  

يَقُولُ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ أُرِيَ أَعْمَارَ النَّاسِ قَبْلَهُ أَوْ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَكَأَنَّهُ تَقَاصَرَ أَعْمَارَ أُمَّتِهِ أَنْ لاَ يَبْلُغُوا مِنَ الْعَمَلِ مِثْلَ الَّذِي بَلَغَ غَيْرُهُمْ فِي طُولِ الْعُمْرِ فَأَعْطَاهُ اللَّهُ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ  

Ziyad related to me from Malik that he had heard that Said ibn al-Musayyab used to say, "Whoever is present at isha on Laylat al-Qadr has taken his portion from it."  

أَنَّ سَعِيدَ بْنَ الْمُسَيَّبِ كَانَ يَقُولُ مَنْ شَهِدَ الْعِشَاءَ مِنْ لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ فَقَدْ أَخَذَ بِحَظِّهِ مِنْهَا