I‘tikaf

The Muslim practice of secluding oneself in the mosque for any select period as a means of becoming closer to God, deepening worship, and abstaining from worldly affairs. The Arabic root of the term i‘tikaf literally means “to adhere, cling, stick, keep.” This spiritual retreat was practiced by the Islamic Prophet Muhammad for the last 10 days of every Ramadan, believed by Muslims to be a particularly potent time for prayer, reflection, and devotion, as God shows great mercy and kindness during this period.