بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Q: Is it permissible for a woman to perform itikaaf in her home, or is it imperative that she do so in the masjid?
A: Itikaaf is not legislated to be performed anywhere except in a masjid where jumu’ah is held, its performance in a masjid unlike that is incorrect. This is because the jumuah prayer will be missed by performing itikaaf in a masjid where it is not held. It is from the most compulsory of actions and for this reason the scholars of Islamic jurisprudence have made conditional the performing of itikaaf in a masjid wherein jumuah is held and they heavily emphasizes this. Shaykh Al Albani held the position of unlawfulness for the performing of itikaaf anywhere except in the three massajid, yet you would extend it to even being performed in the homes?! No! If it is not permissible to perform it in regular masaajid then how can it be permissible in the homes?
If a woman desires the performing of itikaaf, then she should do so in a masjid where jumuah is held, as the wives of the Prophet -sallahu alayhi wa salaam- performed itikaaf there and not in their homes. Thus the ruling encompasses women, and no one from the Islamic scholars exempts them.
Translated by Najeeb Al Anjelesi
Source: فتاوى فضيلة الشيخ العلامة ربيع بن هادي عمير المدخلي