Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam
Question: If one is in Itikaf (sunnah or nafl) is it permissible to perform the Ghusl on Friday?
Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
I pray that you are well, insha’Allah.
Yes, it would be permitted to leave the mosque in order to have a quick bath (ghusl) for the Friday prayer provided that one was not in a state of ablution (wudu) beforehand. This would not be regarded as an undue delay.
If, on the other hand, one was already in a state of ablution (wudu), the bath (ghusl) would not be regarded as a need, therefore leaving the mosque would invalidate one’s i`tikaf.
The above is in relation to the sunna i`tikaf. As for the voluntary (nafl) i`tikaf, one can leave the mosque at any time.
[Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah]
And Allah alone gives success.
Wassalam,
Tabraze Azam
Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani