[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ wanted to observe i'tikaf in the first ten days of Ramadan, so Aisha sought permission from him and he granted her permission. Then Hafsah sought permission from him and he granted her permission. However, Zainab did not seek permission from him, but when she heard about it, she sought permission. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ finished praying Fajr, he went to visit those who were observing i'tikaf, and he found Aisha, Hafsah, and Zainab. He asked, "Who is this for?" They said, "For Aisha, Hafsah, and Zainab." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "You want to compete in acts of goodness with this." So he did not observe i'tikaf in those ten days of Ramadan, but he observed i'tikaf in the ten days of Shawwal.  

أَرَادَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَنْ يَعْتَكِفَ فِي الْعَشْرِ الْأُوَلِ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ فَاسْتَأْذَنَتْهُ عَائِشَةُ فَأَذِنَ لَهَا ثُمَّ اسْتَأْذَنَتْهُ حَفْصَةُ فَأَذِنَ لَهَا وَكَانَتْ زَيْنَبُ لَمْ تَكُنِ اسْتَأْذَنَتْهُ فَسَمِعَتْ بِذَلِكَ فَاسْتَأْذَنَتْ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِذَا صَلَّى الصُّبْحَ أَتَى مُعْتَكَفَهُ فَلَمَّا صَلَّى الصُّبْحَ إِذَا هُوَ بِأَرْبَعَةِ أَبْنِيَةٍ فَقَالَ «لِمَنْ هَذَا؟» قَالُوا لِعَائِشَةَ وَحَفْصَةَ وَزَيْنَبَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «آلْبِرَّ تَقُولُونَ يُرِدْنَ بِهَذَا» فَلَمْ يَعْتَكِفْ فِي ذَلِكَ الْعَشْرِ وَاعْتَكَفَ فِي الْعَشْرِ مِنْ شَوَّالٍ