Women - Mensturation
The subject of Tahaara (purification, etc.) is a very large subject and has many viewpoints from many renowned scholars, each having substantial support for his point of view. This makes the rulings on this topic all the more difficult. This is especially true for the critical rite of Tawaaf-al-Ifadah, where many scholars agree that it is acceptable for a menstruating woman to perform this tawaaf if she is unable to delay her departure and that she will not be able to return. On the other hand many scholars disagree and rule that she MUST wait or leave and return later, and she will be “sexually illegal” to her husband until this tawaaf is performed, no matter how long it takes.
A woman MUST adopt Ihraam at the meqaat, even though she is menstruating. This applies for Umrah as well as for Hajj.
If she fails to do so intentionally, and adopts her Ihraam only in Makkah once she has completed her menstruation, then she should pay an expiation (sacrificing one sheep) for violating the meqaat rule.
Hence, a woman can and should adopt Ihraam and perform all the Hajj rites except tawaaf and salah while she is menstruating or during post-natal bleeding. (She is not allowed to enter the mosque.)
She MUST complete Tawaaf-al-Ifadah and sa'ee for Hajj once her menstruation is completed.
If she is unable to remain in Makkah and will not be able to return, and did not complete Tawaaf-al-Ifadah and sa'ee for Hajj, she must pad herself really well and proceed to perform the tawaaf and sa'ee. (This must be done as a last resort and not merely for convenience.) This rite of Hajj CANNOT be omitted and there is no expiation for it. Remember, no sexual marital relations are allowed until you have completed this rite of Hajj, regardless of the length of time it takes before you perform it. Some scholars say that she should make wudhu first, but others disagree as the wudhu or ghusl has no “value” for her in this state.
Some scholars agree that it is permissible for a woman to use pills which prevent or delay the menstruation during Hajj, after she has confirmed the safety of their usage from a doctor.
· The comments received from many pilgrims is that they discourage the use of these pills, as it has caused them more problems instead of having helped them.
· Another point pilgrims have asked to mention: if you do decide to use these pills, then you should start taking them at least two months before travelling and not for the Hajj period only.
Menstruating women and post-natal bleeding women may omit the farewell tawaaf (Tawaaf-al-Wadaa).
Narrated by Ibn Abbas: "The people were ordered to perform the Tawaaf of the Ka'bah (Tawaaf-al-Wadaa) as the lastly thing, before leaving (Makkah), except the menstruating women who were excused." (Bukhari)
Narrated by Abdullah ibn Abbas: Tawus reported: "I was in the company of Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) when Zayd ibn Thabit said: ‘Do you give religious verdict that the woman who is in menses is allowed to go without performing the last circumambulation (tawaaf) of the House?’ Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) said to him: ‘Ask such and such woman of the Ansar, if you do not (believe my religious verdict) whether Allah's Messenger (e) had commanded her this.’ Zayd ibn Thabit (went to that lady and after getting this verdict attested by her) came back to Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) smilingly and said: ‘I did not find you but telling the truth’." (Muslim)
Sometimes women get upset when their menses start while they are in Makkah, as they cannot attend prayer in the Haram. Try not to be too upset, as this is a natural process from Allah. Allah in His Mercy will certainly not give you any less reward than what you would have obtained if you did not have your menses.
Use this time to indulge in other forms of Ibadah, such as dhikr, dua, and reading. Read books that will help you increase your knowledge about Islam or books on tafseer in order to increase your understanding of the Qur'an.
Narrated by Al Qasim bin Muhammad: … Aisha added, "Allah's Apostle came to me and saw me weeping and said, ‘What makes you weep, O Hantah?’ I replied, ‘I have heard your conversation with your companions and I cannot perform the Umrah.’ He asked, ‘What is wrong with you?’ I replied, ‘I do not offer the prayers (i.e. I have my menses).’ He said, ‘It will not harm you for you are one of the daughters of Adam, and Allah has written for you (this state) as He has written it for them. Keep on with your intentions for Hajj and Allah may reward you that.’ Aisha further added, ‘Then we proceeded for Hajj till we reached Mina and I became clean from my menses.
Then I went out from Mina and performed tawaaf round the Ka'bah’." (Bukhari)
Menstruating women are not allowed to enter a mosque, including the Haram in Makkah and Madinah (the only exception being as explained earlier).
On many occasions it happens where the menstruation “comes early”, by even up to two weeks. Possibly due to excessive walking, stress, anxiety, lack of sleep, etc. So be prepared, and take the necessary toiletry items to Mina and Arafat. If this happens, your plans for Tawaaf-al-Ifadah will also have to change.
Examples
We hope that we have managed to cover most of the cases. If your condition is not covered, then review the general principles of the examples and we are sure that you will be able to formulate what you are supposed to do.
Case 1:
You arrived for Hajj and went to Madinah first. Prior to departing for Makkah (with plenty of time before Hajj) your menstruation starts:
ü You must adopt your Ihraam at the meqaat (Dhul-Hulaifah) and proceed to Makkah.
ü You remain in Ihraam for the duration of your menstruation.
ü Once your menstruation is completed, you perform ghusl.
ü Proceed to the Haram to perform Umrah.
ü Cut your hair and you are relieved from Ihraam.
ü The above is for the Mutamatti. The Qaarin, will do the same, but will perform Tawaaf-ul-Qudoom (welcome tawaaf) and sa'ee for Hajj, instead of Umrah. They must not cut their hair and they remain in Ihraam until Hajj.
Case 2:
You arrived for Hajj and went to Madinah first or you are coming from within Saudi Arabia (i.e. Riyadh). Prior to you reaching the meqaat, your menstruation starts, and it is on the 8th or 9th of Dhul-Hijja. (You are not in the state of Ihraam yet.)
ü If you had intention to perform Hajj-Tamattu then you are forced to change your niyah to Qiran or Ifrad.
ü If your niyah is to perform Hajj-Ifrad, then the same steps as below apply, except for the sacrifice.
ü You must adopt your Ihraam at the meqaat and proceed to Mina/Arafat. If the group goes to Makkah for Umrah or Tawaaf-ul-Qudoom (welcome tawaaf), you should wait for them without performing any rite or entering the mosque.
ü You continue by performing all the Hajj rites except salah. (Staying and supplicating in Arafat; leaving Arafat after Maghrib; staying in Muzdalifah; stoning of the jamr'at, etc.)
ü After you have stoned jamrah Aqaba on the 10th and your sacrifice has been done, you may cut your hair and you are relieved from Ihraam restrictions, and obviously except sexual relations.
ü If your menstruation is completed while in Mina, then you perform ghusl and may proceed to Makkah to perform Tawaaf-al-Ifadah and sa'ee for Hajj.
ü If your menstruation is not completed after the 12th or 13th of Dhul-Hijja, you can proceed back to Makkah, but you still cannot perform Tawaaf-al-Ifadah or sa'ee for Hajj.
ü Once your menstruation is completed, you perform ghusl.
ü Proceed to the Haram to perform Tawaaf-al-Ifadah and sa'ee for Hajj.
ü All Ihraam restrictions are now lifted.
Case 3:
You arrived for Hajj and went to Madinah first or you are coming from within Saudi Arabia (i.e. Riyadh), with the intention of performing Hajj-Tamattu. Prior to you starting or completing your Umrah, your menstruation starts, and it is on the 8th or 9th of Dhul-Hijja. (You are already in the state of Ihraam.)
ü You are now are forced to change your niyah to Qiran. There is no need to utter the new niyah.
ü All the same steps, from continuing with Hajj rites, as in case 2 apply.
For both cases 2 & 3:
There is no requirement to perform Umrah after Hajj for the Qaarin (or for Ifrad and Tamattu). However, if you wish to do so, (as what Ai'sha did), then this will be an “extra” Umrah and not part of Hajj:
ü Adopt your Ihraam clothes again and proceed to Tana'ym (meqaat), where you will make your niyah for Umrah.
ü Proceed to the Haram to perform Umrah.
ü Cut your hair and you are relieved from Ihraam.
ü It is still Hajj-Qiran (and not Tamattu).
Case 4:
On your way to Saudi Arabia your menstruation starts. You are planning to proceed directly to Makkah from Jeddah:
ü If you have plenty of time before Hajj, then the same steps as that for case 1 apply.
ü If there is not enough time to perform Umrah, then the steps for case 2 apply.
Case 5:
You have completed your Umrah and you are staying in Makkah. Prior to, or on the 8th of Dhul-Hijja, your menstruation starts or it's not completed:
ü You must adopt your Ihraam and proceed to Mina.
ü All the same steps, from continuing with Hajj rites, as in case 2 apply.
Case 6:
It is the 9th of Dhul-Hijja and your menstruation is due at any time. Your departure from Makkah is soon after Hajj:
ü On the 10th you may go directly to Makkah to perform Tawaaf-al-Ifadah and sa'ee for Hajj, prior to performing any other rite (stoning, sacrifice or cutting of your hair). You may also leave Muzdalifah early and go directly to Makkah if required.
ü Return to Mina and perform all the other rites of Hajj even if your menstruation has started (except salah).
ü You need not perform Tawaaf-al-Wadaa, if you have to leave for home, before your menstruation has completed.
ü You do not need to perform any expiation.
Case 7:
Your menstruation is not completed and you have not performed Tawaaf-al-Ifadah and sa'ee for Hajj, and you are about to depart for home:
ü Delay your departure, until you are “clean”. This is the BEST thing to do!
o Once your menstruation is completed, you perform ghusl.
o Proceed to the Haram to perform Tawaaf-al-Ifadah and sa'ee for Hajj.
o All Ihraam restrictions are now lifted.
o Perform Tawaaf-al-Wadaa before proceeding for home. If Tawaaf-al-Ifadah was the last rite before going home, then you need not do a separate Wadaa.
ü If this is not possible (and you cannot return to Makkah):
o You should pad yourself really well and proceed to perform Tawaaf-al-Ifadah and sa'ee for Hajj.
o Do not perform any salah, including the two rak'at after tawaaf.
o Do not perform a separate Tawaaf-al-Wadaa.
o You do not need to perform any expiation.
ü You may proceed home.
Case 8:
You have completed all your Hajj rites and you are about to depart for home, when your menstruation starts:
ü You are exempted from performing the farewell tawaaf (Tawaaf-al-Wadaa).
ü You do not need to perform any expiation.
ü You may proceed home.
Case 9:
Your menstruation starts:
1. While you are performing tawaaf for Umrah:
ü You cannot continue.
ü If there is time before Hajj, then you follow the steps as in case 1.
ü If there is no time before Hajj, then follow the steps as in case 3.
2. While you are performing tawaaf for Hajj (Tawaaf-al-Ifadah):
ü Follow the steps as in case 7.
ü If you take the second option in case 7: If you are sure that you will not “soil” the mosque then you may continue. If you have to leave to pad yourself, and there is only a short time lapse, then you need not start the tawaaf from the 1st round again. However you must redo the incomplete circuit, if applicable.
3. While you are performing the farewell tawaaf (Tawaaf-al-Wadaa):
ü You cannot continue.
ü Follow the steps as in case 8.
4. While you are performing sa'ee for Umrah (Hajj-Tamattu) or sa'ee for Hajj:
ü You may continue, as you do not need to be taahir (on wudhu, etc.) to perform sa'ee. However you must ensure that you will not “soil” the mosque. If you have to leave to pad yourself, and there is only a short time lapse, then you need not start the sa'ee from the 1st lap again. However you must redo the incomplete lap, if applicable.
In all cases you must start the tawaaf or sa'ee from the beginning again, once there is a large time lapse (i.e. day) between the time you stop and the time you restart.
Please do not treat this issue lightly, as Tawaaf-al-Ifadah CANNOT be omitted.
