It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) intended to perform i'tikaf, he would enter the place of i'tikaf after offering the Fajr prayer. Once, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) intended to perform i'tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan, and a tent was set up for him by his order. Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) also ordered, so a tent was set up for her as well. Then Sayyida Hafsa (may Allah be pleased with her) ordered, so a tent was set up for her too. When Sayyida Zainab (may Allah be pleased with her) saw their tents, she also ordered for a tent to be set up for herself, so a tent was set up for her as well. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) saw this situation, he said: "Do you intend righteousness?" Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not perform i'tikaf in that Ramadan, and (making up for it) he performed i'tikaf for ten days in Shawwal.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ubayy ibn Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to observe i'tikaf during the last ten days of Ramadan, but one year he had to undertake a journey, due to which he could not observe i'tikaf. Then, the following year, he observed i'tikaf for twenty days.

Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was residing, he would observe i'tikaf during the last ten days of Ramadan, but if he traveled during this period, then the following year he would observe i'tikaf for twenty days.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to observe i'tikaf during the last and middle ten days of Ramadan. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away, he was observing i'tikaf for twenty days.