Menstruation in Islam: Permissibility of Menstruating Women in the Mosque

The Permissibility of Menstruating Women in the Mosque: A Lesson from Sahīh Muslim

3rd Lesson From the Book of Menstruation From Sahīh Muslim

بســـم اللــه الرحــمــن الـرحـــيــم

By our Shaykh, the ‘Allāmah, the Trustworthy Advisor, Abū ‘Abdirrahmān Yahya bin ‘Alī Al-Hajūri – may Allāh preserve him –

Imām An-Nawawi may Allāh have mercy on him said;

The permissibility of the menstruating woman washing the hair of her husband and combing it and the purity of the rest of her body and reclining in her room and reading Qurān in it

6 (276) Yahya bin Yahya narrated to us, he said I read upon Mālik, on the authority of Ibn Shihāb, on the authority of Urwah, on the authority of Amrah, on the authority of Ā’ishah, she said: “If the Prophet ﷺ was doing I’tikāf he used to lower his head to me so I would comb it and he did not used to enter except for answering the call of nature.”

 7 (297) Qutaibah bin Saīd narrated to us, he said Laith narrated to us, ح , and Muhammad bin Rumh narrated to us, he said Laith informed us, on the authority of Ibn Shihāb, on the authority of Urwah, and Amrah bint Abdirrahmān, that Ā’ishah the wife of the Prophet ﷺ said: “I used to enter the house for a need (the call of nature), and a sick person would be in there, so I didn’t used to ask about him except while passing by, and the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ used to enter his head upon me while he was in the Masjid so I would comb it, and he didn’t used to enter the house except to answer the call of nature if he was doing I’tikāf.”

And Ibn Rumh said: “If they (the Prophet ﷺ and his wife) were doing I’tikāf.” 

🔹 This Hadith includes that a person doing I’tikāf does not leave except to answer the call of nature.

🔹 The meaning Mujāwir: Mu’takif (one doing I’tikāf). It is said to a Mu’takif Jāwar.

🔹 And in it is that the Prophet ﷺ used to look after his hair.

🔹 And in it is that the hands and the body of the menstruating woman is pure. 

(سبحان الله المسلم لا ينجس) 

Glorified and Exalted is Allāh, the Muslim does not become Najs (impure).

🔹 Benefit: 

In it is the permissibility of the menstruating woman entering the Masjid:

 Firstly: – Because a Muslim doesn’t become impure due to the mentioned Hadith.

Secondly: – That throughout history women have been entering the Sacred Mosque and the Masjid An-Nabawī without any rebuke from the Imāms.

Thirdly: – The statement of the Prophet ﷺ to Ā’ishah: “Do everything the one doing Hajj does except that you do not do Tawāf around the Ka’bah” i.e (instead) read Qurān and do Dhikr of Allāh and refrain from Tawāf only. 

And the Prophet ﷺ did not expel her from the Masjid and this Masjid Al-Harām along with Masjid An-Nabawī are the most honoured Masjids on the face of the earth. 

🔹 Attention: The Hadith “It is not allowed for a menstruating woman to enter the Masjid nor one in major impurity is weak.

Transcribed to Arabic and summarised by:

Abu Abdirrahmān Hamūd Ath-Thawābi 

may Allāh reward him with good

on the 20th, Jumāda Al-Ākhir, 1441H

Translated by: 

Abu ‘Abdillāh ‘Omar bin Yahya Al-‘Akawi

#Menstruation #Hadith #Explanation