Menstruation in Islam

Menstruation in Islam relates to various purity related restrictions in Islamic jurisprudence.^[1][2] The ḥaiḍ (حيض menses) is the religious state of menstruation in Islam.^[3][4] The Qur'an makes specific mention of menstruation in Quran 2:222 which instructs:

And they ask you about menstruation. Say, "It is haram, so keep away from wives during menstruation. And do not approach them until they are pure. And when they have purified themselves, then come to them from where Allāh has ordained for you. Indeed, Allāh loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.^[5]

The language is taken to clearly imply that sexual relations during menstruation are prohibited.^[6] Ibn Kathīr, a muhaddith, narrated a hadith that describes Muhammad's habits with his menstruating wives. This hadith demonstrates that Muhammad gave licence to all forms of spousal intimacy during the period of menstruation with the exception of intercourse. Women are required to perform ritual cleansing (ghusl) before resuming religious duties or relations upon completion of their menstruation.^[7]

Intercourse is also prohibited during menstruation,^[6] for forty days after childbirth (puerperium), during the daylight hours of the month of Ramadan (i.e. while fasting) and on pilgrimage. While in the sanctuary (in Ahram) at Mecca, pilgrims are not allowed to have intercourse, and marriages performed during the pilgrimage are invalid.^[8]

Muslim women that are going through menstrual bleeding are exempt from fasting during the Ramadan according to the Hadiths,^[9] but have to make them up after menstruation. This was found by hadiths preventing many women from praying during their menses.

It is not permissible for a man to have intercourse with menstruating wife. This is written in verse 2:222 of the Quran

And they ask you about menstruation. Say: It is a harm (painful situation); therefore keep aloof from the women during the menstrual discharge and do not go near them until they have become clean; then when they have cleansed themselves, go in to them as Allah has commanded you; surely Allah loves those who turn much (to Him), and He loves those who purify themselves.

— Quran 2:222^[10]

Verse 2:222 in the Quran implies that relations during menstruation are prohibited. But it does not mention forbidding prayers, however it is mentioned in the hadith which states that women should not pray during menstruation and that they don't have to make up for the missed prayers during this period.^[11][12][13] God requires prayer to help people stay on the good path away from bad deeds. Despite the verse saying “to segregate the women” and “not go near them,” various hadith indicate that Muhammad considered this to refer only to sexual intercourse. Hadiths are not considered as reliable as the Quran, but there are various references of Muhammad having said that the verse mentioned above means only intercourse and of Muhammad interacting with his wives while they were on their menses. One hadith mentions that Muhammad would lie on his wife Ayesha's lap and recite the Qur'an when she was on her menses. All these hadiths are classified as being sahih, which means they can be trusted.^[7]

It is prohibited for a man to divorce a menstruating woman during her menses. Women are supposed to maintain proper hygiene and should not perform prayer. They do not have to make up the prayers they missed during menstruation. When the menstruating period is over, women have to perform ritual purification (ghusl).

See also

• Culture and menstruation
• Divorce in Islam
• Iddah
• Women's prayer in Islam

References

1. Majid Mohammadi Political Islam in Post-revolutionary Iran 1848852762 2015 Page 24 "in the authenticity of Islamic texts and a clerical understanding of these texts is projected to be not only a religious threat ... ̄ (the scholars of Islamic law) is not merely to teach haiz and nefa ̄s (menstruating and puerperiums, purity of women); ..."
2. Ayatullah Sayyid Abulqasim al-Khui Islamic Laws of Ayatullah Khui 1312532505 2014 "Atonement for intercourse with a haiz is coined gold weighing 3.457 grams for the first part, 1.729 grams for the second part and 0.865 grams for the third part of the period of menses. For example if blood is discharged from the body of .."
3. Ghulamali Ismail Naji Family Life in Islam 1973 Page v "The Prophet (S.A.) thereupon explained to her in clear words that the abnormal flow of blood after the scheduled period of 'Haiz' (menses) was not menstrual, detailing the fact that menstrual blood is more viscous than normal blood, during"
4. Jaffur Shurreef, Gerhard Andreas Herklots Islam in India 8171568068 Page 53 1921 "The illness at the lunar periods is expressed by ' the approach of the menses ' (haiz and), v the arrival of the season for bathing ' (nihanl diid), ' the head becoming dirty ' (sir mailil hond), ' becoming unfit for prayers ' (benamdzl dnd), "
5. [1], Saheeh International translation, quran.com
6. Joseph, Suad (2007). Encyclopedia of Women and Islamic Cultures. Brill. p. 531.
7. Baugh, Carolyn. "Oxford Islamic Studies Online". Oxford University Press. from the original on 8 September 2015.
8. Wheeler, Brannon. "Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World". Macmillan Reference USA. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
9. Frisk, Sylva (2009). Submitting to God: Women and Islam in Urban Malaysia. NIAS Press. p. 121. ISBN 978-8776940485. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
10. Q2:222, 50+ translations, islamawakened.com
11. Jami` at-Tirmidhi. "The Book of Purification and its Sunnah". sunnah.com. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
12. Muslim, Sahih. https://sunnah.com/muslim:333a. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
13. Ibn Majah, Sunan. sunnah.com https://sunnah.com/ibnmajah:631. Retrieved 10 April 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)