Q: If a person wants to sit sunnah itikaaf but the person's company requires him to work for about 4 hours per day remotely for a few days of the itikaaf. Will the person be allowed to work off their laptop?
A: If the work he has to do entails only halaal work and nothing impermissible, then though it will be permissible for him to do the work in the musjid in the state of itikaaf, however it will be undesirable (makrooh tanzeehi) for him to do this worldly related work in the musjid.
This is the sharee ruling in regard to the question you have posed for one who is sitting in itikaaf. However, we feel that any worldly related work on computers or phones should not be done in the musjid as there is a fear of some impermissible or doubtful action taking place.
Sometimes, some picture of an animate object may come onto the screen or when switching on the computer, a musical tone or some emoji icon may come onto the screen, and through this one will become sinful for committing these sins in the house of Allah Ta'ala, thereby becoming worthy of punishment.
Therefore, it is better for you to sit for nafl itikaaf in the musjid, and when it is time for you to do this work, you can go home and do it at home so that you do not compromise the respect of the musjid and spoil the spirit of itikaaf.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
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