Can al-mu'takif go out to inquire after a sick person’s health or to attend a funeral prayer?

No, he cannot. 'Aisha (R.A) says:

‘It is Sunna for al-mu'takif not to go out to inquire after an ill person; to attend a funeral prayer; to touch his wife (with sexual desire) or to have coition; to attend a need unnecessarily (not accepted as valid excuse).’

Only when a person is out for a valid reason, he can inquire after somebody’s health if he happens to pass by him and without having stopped walking. 'Aisha (R.A) herself narrates:

كَانَ النَّبيُّ ﷺ بِالْـمَرِيْضِ وَهُوَ مُعْتَكِفٌ، فَيَمُرُّ كَمَا هُوَ وَلَا يُعَرِّجُ يَسْأَلُ عَنْهُ.

وَقَالَ التِّرْمِذِيُّ: قَالَتْ: إِنْ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَعُودُ الْـمَرِيْضَ وَهُوَ مُعتَكِفٌ.

‘The holy Prophet (PBUH) a would inquire after a sick person while passing by (and without having stopped), if he was al-mu'takif (and happened to go out of the mosque for his need).’

Al-Tirmidhi says that 'Aisha (R.A) said that the Prophet a would inquire after the sick person’s health during spiritual retreat.

This shows that a person is not allowed to leave the mosque with the intention of attending a funeral prayer or inquiring after a sick person’s health, because it will break his spiritual retreat.

If however, he has included these visits while making intention for spiritual retreat, going out when extreme circumstances demand it, will not break his spiritual retreat.

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