Kinds of Masjid Where ’Ttikaf Is Valid

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about performing Ttikaf in a certain Masjid of Baghdad. He (the Imam) said, ’Without a Masjid in which Salat (prayer) in congregation is held behind a just Imam, Ttikaf is not valid. It is not harmful to do Ttikaf in Masjid of al-Kufah, in al- Basrah, in al-Madinah or Makkah.’”

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Without passing the twentieth day of the month of Ramadan Ttikaf is not valid.’ He (the Imam) then said that Ali ‘Alayhi al-Salam, would say, “I do not see Ttikaf, unless it is in Masjid al-Haram, Masjid of the Messenger of Allah, or a Jami‘ Masjid (central). It is not proper for one performing ’Ttikaf to go out of Masjid except for one’s urgent needs without which one cannot do, but then one must not sit down until one returns. The same rule applies to women.’””

“Once abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked about ’Ttikaf. He (the Imam) said, ‘Without Masjid ’Ttikaf is not valid, only in Masjid like Masjid al-Haram, Masjid of the Messenger of Allah, Masjid al-Kufah or Masjid al-Jami‘ and you must fast in the time you are in the state of ’Ttikaf.’”

“He (the Imam) (a.s.), has said, ‘One performing ’Ttikaf in Makkah can perform Salat (prayer) in any of its houses or Masjid; it is all the same.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘One who performs ’Ttikaf in Makkah can perform Salat (prayer) in any of its houses that he chooses, and one performing ’Ttikaf in other places cannot perform Salat (prayer), unless it is the Masjid which he has determined.’”