Ayetikaaf Dua in Masjid

Bismilhahi Allahumma inni dakhaltul masjida wa navaytu sunnatal etikafi

Ibn Abbas t relates that the Messenger of Allah  said, "The person performing Itikaaf remains free from sins and he is indeed given the same reward as those who do good deeds (in spite of not having done these deeds).

There are three types of Itikaaf.

1. Itikaaf during the last ten days of Ramadhan. This is sunnah.

2. Itikaaf on any other day is nafl (voluntary).

3. Itikaaf as a result of a vow (e.g. someone vowed that if a certain desire of his/her was fulfilled, he/she would perform Itikaaf for two days.). The performance of this Itikaaf is waajib (necessary).

Itikaaf is not only restricted to Ramadhan but can in fact be performed during the entire year. Imam Bukhari too has indicated towards this permissibility, by entitling a chapter, ‘The chapter on performing Itikaaf during Shawwaal’. (Fathul-Baari, p.284 vol,5. Umdatul-Qari, p.156 vol,11). We also learn from a tradition appearing in the ‘Sihah Sittah’ that the Prophet  performed Itikaaf of ten days in the month of Shawwaal. It is clear from this that Itikaaf is not fixed with any particular period of the year.