I'tikaaf for women

The best place for a man to perform Salah is the Masjid. That is why men must do I'tikaaf in the Masjid, so that the I’tikaaf which is Sunnah, does not necessitate neglecting Salah with Jamaat which is Wajib. 

But for women, as Rasullullah (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:

"The best place for them to perform Salah, is inside the house." (Musnad Ahmad)

Thus, they must do I'tikaaf in their house itself – in a place that they have fixed to perform their five times Salah. If they do not have a fixed place, then for the purpose of I’tikaaf, they can fix it when they start the I'tikaaf. 

The Hadith, that apparently says that it is not permissible to do I'tikaaf except in three Masjid, can be interpreted in a way that it is not in conflict with the Hadith that authorises it.

In fact, I'tikaaf is used in the sense of "Jiwaar". In turn, just as Jiwaar means I'tikaaf which means staying in the Masjid, in the same way, it means staying in the surroundings or in the neighbourhood also. According to this Hadith, a person who has the desire to stay close to a Masjid due to the Barakah that there is all around it, thus it applies for other Masjid besides these three also.

[English version of "Ki veut dire I’tikaaf?" – Al Jamiat – Vol. 4 No.14 & Al Haadi – Vol. 4 No. 6]