'A'isha (Allaah be pleased with her) reported that when the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) decided to observe i'tikaf, he prayed in the morning and then went to the place of his i'tikaf, and he commanded that a tent should be pitched for him, and it was pitched. He (once) decided to observe i'tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan. Zainab (the wife of the Prophet) commanded that a tent should be pitched for her. It was pitched accordingly. And some other wives of Allaah's Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) commanded that tents should be pitched for them too. And they were pitched. When the Messenger of Allaah (may peace he upon him) offered the morning prayer, he looked and found (so many) tents. Thereupon he said: What is this virtue that these (ladies) have decided to acquire? He commanded his tent to be struck and abandoned i'tikaf in the month of Ramadan and postponed it to the first ten days of Shawwal.
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