Are there any evidences for not performing prayers while menstruating?

The Answer

Dear Brother / Sister,

The things that are forbidden for a woman who is in menstruation or puerperium:

1. Performing prayers. It is not permissible for a woman who is in menstruation or puerperium to perform prayers. The Prophet (pbuh) said to Fatima bint Abi Hubaysh,

“When you start to menstruate, give up praying; when menstruation ends, clean the blood, make ghusl and perform prayers.” The narration in Bukhari is as follows:

“Give up performing prayers as long as your menstruation continues; then, make ghusl and perform prayers.” (Bukhari, Hayd, 19, 24, Wudu, 63; Muslim, Hayd, 62; Abu Dawud Taharah, 109)

A woman who menstruates does not perform the prayers she misses afterwards as qada but she has to perform fasting as qada. Aisha (r.anha) said,

“When we were in the period of menses in the era of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), we were ordered to perform fasting later but we were not ordered to perform prayers later.” (Muslim, Hayd, 69; Abu Dawud, Taharah, 104; Nasai, Siyam, 64)

2. Performing fasting. A woman who is in menstruation or puerperium does not fast. The evidence is the hadith of Aisha above. However, they are not exempt from fasting; they have to fast afterwards.

3. Tawaf (Circumambulation). The Prophet (pbuh) said to Aisha (r. anha), who was menstruating during Hajj,

“When you are in menstruation, do the other deeds of hajj except circumambulating the Kaaba until you are clean.” (Bukhari, Hayd, 1, 7, Hajj, 71, Adahi, 3, 10; Muslim, Hajj, 119, 120; Abu Dawud, Manasik, 23)

4. Reading the Quran. Touching the Quran (Mushaf) and carrying it on her.

“Which none shall touch but those who are clean.” (al-Waqia, 56/79)

The Prophet (pbuh) said,

“A menstruating woman and a person who is junub cannot read anything from the Quran.” (Tirmidhi, Taharah, 98; Ibn Majah, Taharah, 105)

According to Hanafis, it is possible and permissible for a menstruating woman and a junub person to touch and carry the Quran in a cover. Similarly, a person who is engaged in fiqh may hold the books of tafsir, hadith and fiqh with the hem of his clothes or with his hand out of necessity. It is mustahab to turn the pages of the Quran with wudu. It is also permissible to turn them with a pen for reading (az-Zuhayli, al-Fiqhul-Islami wa Adillatuh, I, 471).

It is not permissible for a menstruating woman to enter the mosque except for obligatory cases. It is not permissible for her to enter the mosque, or to sit in it, or to do i’tikaf in it, except when it is obligatory.

5. Entering the mosque, sitting there and performing i’tikaf. The following is stated in a hadith: “No menstruating woman or a junub person may enter the mosque.” (Ibn Majah, Taharah, 92; Darimi, Wudu, 116) Shafiis and Hanbalis consider it permissible for a menstruating or puerperal woman to cross the street through the mosque provided that she does not dirty it. It is reported that the Prophet (pbuh) gave such permission to Aisha (r. anha). (Muslim, Hayd, I1-13; Nasai, Taharah, 172, Hayd, 18; Ibn Majah, Taharah, 120)

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