Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

As salaam alaykum

Mensuration is a natural occurrence for women. Normally women during this period stop her salat (namaz) for 7 days. my questions is

- After how many days Husband and wife are allowed for sex .
- Does women is allowed to read quran/touch quran , offer other types if ibadat during this period.

pls advice.

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Answer:

Menses quran worship

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 222:

222 They ask thee (O Prophet (saws)) concerning women's courses (menstruation). Say: ‘They are a hurt and a pollution; so keep away from women in their courses and do not approach (have sexual intercourse with) them until they are clean. But when they have purified themselves ye may approach them in any manner, time, or place ordained for you by Allah. For Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean.

Your Question:- After how many days Husband and wife are allowed for sex

Every woman knows well the days and duration of her menstruation, and it is possible that the menstruation of some women may last only 4-5 days instead of the customary 5-7 days.

Islam has absolutely prohibited the believers from the actual act of sexual intercourse with their wife during her period of menstruation; but if the wife determines that her menstrual bleeding has stopped and she purifies herself from her state of menstruation by taking a ‘ghusl’ or full bath of purification, the couple bonded in the sacred bond of marriage are well within their rights to enjoy conjugal relations with each other immediately after her bath of purification.

Your Question: - Does women is allowed to read quran/touch quran , offer other types if ibadat during this period.
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 56 Surah Waqiah verse 77-79:

That this is a Glorious Quran, inscribed in a well-guarded Book, which none can touch, except the purified.

Although the above quoted Aayah is meant to state how the Quran is honored by the noble Angels in the heavens; the scholars have opined that just as the Glorious Quran is honored in the heavens by the Angels, so should it be honored on the earth…. And thus, one should touch it only when one is pure and clean.

According to most scholars, one who is physically unclean (because of sex, or menstruation, or post childbirth, etc.) should not physically touch the Glorious Quran. This is based on a hadith from Hadrat Ali (r.a.), in which he stated that nothing kept the Messenger of Allah (saws) from touching the Quran save being sexually impure.

To the best of our knowledge, we have not come across any authentic narrations of the Messenger of Allah (saws) where he explicitly forbade the menstruating women to touch the Holy Quran. But it is a consensus of the scholars, who have given their opinion in light of the above aayahs of the Holy Quran and the practice of the Messenger of Allah (saws), that a person who is impure, should not touch the Quran.

All the scholars and major schools of thought in Islam are absolutely unanimous in their opinion that there is absolutely no harm for a woman, who is experiencing her normal or post childbirth menstruation, to recite the Quran from memory, or make supplications, or praise and glorify her Lord Most High, Most Exalted or do any other act of worship except the prayers, fasting, and the circumambulation (tawaaf) around the Holy Kaaba…..and it would be best if she would abstain from physically touching the Glorious Quran with her bare hands during her period of menses.

Some scholars are of the opinion that if one is either teaching or learning the Quran, and one fears that one might forget or miss one’s classes or studies during their menstruation periods, to wear gloves and then touch the copy of the Glorious Quran and thus continue their study of the Holy Book. And Allah Alone Knows Best.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan