Spiritual Retreat: Leaving the Place of Iʿtikaf for Necessary Matters

Practical Laws of Islam as per the teachings of Ayatullah Sistani

Ruling 1743

Leaving the place of iʿtikāf for necessary and unavoidable matters – such as going to the toilet – is permitted. Leaving the mosque to perform ritual bathing (ghusl) for ritual impurity (janābah) is also permitted; indeed, it is obligatory. Similarly, women are permitted to leave to perform the ghusl for irregular blood discharge (istiḥāḍah). If a woman who is experiencing istiḥāḍah and who must perform ghusl does not do so, the validity of her iʿtikāf is not affected.

-Ayatullah Sistani, Practical Laws of Islam, Spiritual Retreat (Iʿtikāf)