اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الْعٰلَمِیْنَ وَ الصَّلٰوۃُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلٰی سَیِّدِ الْمُرْسَلِیْنَ ^ط

اَمَّا بَعْدُ فَاَعُوْذُ بِاللّٰہِ مِنَ الشَّیْطٰنِ الرَّجِیْمِ ^ط  بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّ حِیْم ^ط

Contemplation of the Hereafter

اَلصَّلٰوۃُ وَ السَّلَامُ عَلَیْكَ یَا رَسُولَ اللہ                                                         وَعَلٰی اٰلِكَ وَ اَصْحٰبِكَ یَا حَبِیْبَ اللہ

اَلصَّلٰوۃُ وَ السَّلَامُ عَلَیْكَ یَا نَبِیَّ اللہ                                                                       وَعَلٰی اٰلِكَ وَ اَصْحٰبِكَ یَا نُوْرَ اللہ

نَـوَیْتُ سُنَّتَ الاعْتِکَاف  

 I have made the intention of sunnah I’tikāf.

Dear Islamic brothers! Whenever you enter a masjid, make the intention of I’tikāf, for you shall continuously gain the reward of I’tikāf for as long as you stay inside. Normally, when we are in a masjid, Sharī’ah does not give permission for us to eat, drink, sleep, have suḥūr or ifṭār, and not even to drink Zamzam water or the water on which dam has been made. Yet, if the intention of I’tikāf is made, all these actions will become permissible. One should not make this intention of I’tikāf only to eat, drink or sleep. This intention should instead be made to please Allah Almighty.

It is stated in Fatāwā Shāmī:

If someone wants to eat, drink or sleep in a masjid, he should make the intention to observe I’tikāf and perform the dhikr of Allah for some time. Then he may proceed as he wishes (i.e., now if he wants to eat, drink or sleep, he can do so).