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Menstruation in Islam

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Menstruation in Islam relates to various purity related restrictions in Islamic jurisprudence.[1][2] The ḥayḍ (Arabic: حيض) is the religious state of menstruation in Islam.[3][4] Classical fiqh distinguishes three types of female bleeding: ḥayḍ (menstruation), nifās (postpartum bleeding), and istiḥāḍa (irregular or prolonged bleeding). Each carries different rulings.

Rulings during menstruation

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Marital relations

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The Qur'an makes specific mention of menstruation in al-Baqara 2:222:

And they ask you about menstruation. Say, "It is harm, 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 imply that sexual relations during menstruation are prohibited.[6]

Despite the verse saying to keep away from the women, various hadiths indicate that Muhammad considered this to refer only to sexual intercourse. A hadith narrated by the muhaddith Ibn Kathīr describes Muhammad's habits with his menstruating wives and demonstrates that Muhammad gave licence to all other forms of spousal intimacy. For example, Sahih al-Bukhari 297 mentions that Muhammad would lie on his wife Aisha’s lap and recite the Qur'an when she was on her menses.[7]

Fasting and prayer

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Women are required to perform ghusl or full ritual purification before resuming religious duties upon completion of their menstruation. Although the Qur'an doesn't mention fasting or praying during menstruation, both are forbidden according to hadiths. Muslim women that are going through menstrual bleeding are exempt from fasting during the Ramadan,[8] but have to make them up after menstruation. On the other hand, while women should not pray during menstruation, they do not have to make up for the missed prayers during this period, as stated in Sunan ibn Majah 631.[7] Hadiths are not considered as reliable as the Qur'an, but all of these hadiths are classified as being sahih, which means they can be trusted.

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The four Sunni schools differ on the minimum and maximum duration of ḥayḍ. The Ḥanafī school sets the minimum at three days and maximum at ten. The Mālikī school allows up to fifteen days.

Ḥayḍ duration by legal school
SchoolMinimumMaximumDefault assumed
Ḥanafī3 days10 days10 days
MālikīNo minimum15 days6–7 days
Shāfiʿī1 day15 days6–7 days
Ḥanbalī1 day15 days6–7 days

See also

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References

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  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 the 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. ↑ , Saheeh International translation, quran.com
  6. ↑ Joseph, Suad (2007). Encyclopedia of Women and Islamic Cultures. Brill. p. 531.
  7. 1 2 Baugh, Carolyn. "Oxford Islamic Studies Online". Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 8 September 2015.
  8. ↑ Frisk, Sylva (2009). Submitting to God: Women and Islam in Urban Malaysia. NIAS Press. p. 121. ISBN 978-8776940485. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
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