What is Allowed During Menstruation in Islam?
During menstruation, Islamic teachings permit many activities, but prohibit sexual intercourse. A common misconception is that menstruating women are considered "unclean," however, this is inaccurate. The Islamic perspective focuses on temporary ritual purity restrictions.
- Most daily activities: Women can continue with their normal routines, including work, household chores, and social interactions.
- Prayer (Salah): While women are exempt from obligatory prayers (Salah) during menstruation, they are encouraged to engage in other forms of worship such as supplications (Dua) and reading the Quran. They are, importantly, permitted to read and touch the Quran. [This contradicts the idea of inherent "uncleanliness."]
- Reading the Quran: Contrary to some misinterpretations, women are allowed to read the Quran during menstruation.
- Touching the Quran: Similarly, touching the Quran is permitted.
- Spousal intimacy (excluding intercourse): Islamic texts permit various forms of physical intimacy between spouses except for sexual intercourse. This includes kissing, touching, and other forms of affection. A hadith explicitly permits all forms of spousal intimacy except intercourse during menstruation.
Prohibited Activities During Menstruation:
- Sexual Intercourse: Islamic law strictly prohibits sexual intercourse with a menstruating woman. This is a universally agreed-upon prohibition in Islam.
- Fasting during Ramadan: Women are exempt from fasting during Ramadan while menstruating. [This is not a restriction based on uncleanliness but rather a concession].
Post-Menstruation:
After the cessation of menstruation, women are required to perform ghusl, a full ritual purification bath, before resuming religious obligations such as prayer and sexual intercourse.
The Islamic perspective on menstruation doesn't portray women as inherently unclean. Rather, it acknowledges a temporary state requiring specific practices regarding prayer and sexual intimacy. The wide range of permissible activities during menstruation highlights that women's lives and faith are not disrupted by their natural cycles.
