Iʿtikāf is secluding oneself in the Masjid in order to perform acts of obedience.
Performing iʿtikāf is a sunnah and the practise of the Prophet(ﷺ).
One should turn towards their Lord in acts of obedience and dedicate themselves towards this purpose.
Ever since the Prophet (ﷺ) migrated to Madīnah he performed iʿtikāf, until he passed away.
The one performing iʿtikāf is to remain in the Masjid. It is permissible to leave the Masjid if there is a need to do so.
Al-Zuhrī said, “Strange is the affair of the Muslims! How can they leave off iʿtikāf when the Prophet never left it off up until he left this world!”
If the Prophet (ﷺ) became occupied and missed out performing iʿtikāf during Ramaḍān he would make it up in Shawwāl.
The servant is in seclusion, begging His Lord, supplicating, reciting Qurʾān to his Lord, parting with all of his comfortable ways and staying away from worldly affairs during iʿtikāf.
After the Prophet (ﷺ) died, his wives raḍī Allāhu ʿanhumā) would perform iʿtikāf.
Therefore, it is certainly permissible for women to perform iʿtikāf so long as there is no fitnah or harm caused.
ʿĀʾaisha (raḍī Allāhu ʿanhā) narrated, “I used to comb the hair of the Prophet (ﷺ) while I was on my menses.”
The one performing iʿtikāf should remain in the Masjid and use a section of the Masjid to seclude himself.
Another ḥadīth states that the Prophet (ﷺ) wouldn’t leave the Masjid and enter his house except to use the bathroom.
ʿĀʾaisha (raḍī Allāhu ʿanhā) would enter her home only due to a necessity and if there was a sick person she would not visit them, rather she would supplicate for them whilst walking.
The person in iʿtikāf shouldn’t perform righteous acts that a person does generally, such as following the funeral and visiting the sick. This is because during this time, they are performing a specific act of worship; they must seclude and devote themselves [in the Masjid].