If a
person performs one of the following acts,
his i'tikaf will be nullified:
1.
Intentionally leaving the mosque without any
need* to do so, even if it is just for a
short time. In such a case, one would not be
staying in the mosque, which is one of the
principles of i'tikaf.
*need
refers to using the bathroom. If he needs to
eat or drink and no one can bring these to
him, he may leave to get these. If one needs
to vomit, he may leave to do so. Washing one's
self from unintentional sexual defilement or
cleaning his body or clothes from impurities.
Anything that he must do but cannot do inside
the mosque, he can leave to accomplish.
2.
Abandoning belief in Islam. If you ascribe a
partner to Allah, you will fail and you will
be among the losers.
3.
Losing one's reason due to insanity or
drunkeness, or the onset of menstruation, or
post childbirth bleeding.
4.
Sexual intercourse. Allah says "But
touch them not [your wives] and be at your
devotions in the mosque." However, one
may touch one's wife without any desires. One
of the wives of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi
wa sallam would comb his hair while he was
performing i'tikaf. As for kissing and
touching due to desire, Ahmad and Abu Hanifah
say that it is not desirable, for it leads to
something that is forbidden for the one
performing i'tikaf. However, it does not
nullify it unless one ejaculates.