All praise be to Allah, peace and blessings be upon Prophet Mohammad.
Itikaf (seclusion in the mosque for worship) is a Sunnah (Prophetic tradition) for men and women, and the mothers of the believers (May Allah be pleased with them) used to practice it with the Prophet(PBUH) and after his passing away. Aisha (the wife of the Prophet) narrated: “ The Prophet used to practice Itikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan till he died and then his wives used to practice Itikaf after him.” {Bukhari and Muslim}.
Practicing Itikaf in the mosque for a short period of time entails receiving a reward from Allah, and it is not a condition that a whole night should be spent observing it. However, the reward varies in line with the duration of each Itikaf. It is a condition that Itikaf be practiced in the mosque, and not at home.
However, it is better that a woman stays at home to attend to the needs of her husband and children, and she will be rewarded for that as well. “ The pillars of Itikaf are: a mosque, a short stay at the mosque, an intention to perform this act of worship and an Itikaf performer.