Periods in Islam FAQs

What’s the command of salah during periods?

Observing salah is prohibited during menstruation.
The Prophet (PBUH) said to me, "Give up the prayer when your menses begin and when it has finished, wash the blood off your body (take a bath) and start praying."
(Sahih al-Bukhari 331)

Is observing Fast prohibited during one's period?

Yes, it is prohibited.

Once Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) went out to the Musalla (to offer the prayer) of ‘Id-al-Adha or Al-Fitr prayer. Then he passed by the women and said, “O women! Give alms, as I have seen that the majority of the dwellers of Hell-fire were you (women).” They asked, “Why is it so, O Allah’s Messenger?” (PBUH)?“ He replied, “You curse frequently and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you. A cautious, sensible man could be led astray by some of you.” The woman asked, “O Allah’s Messenger (PBUH)! What is deficient in our intelligence and religion?” He said, “Is not the evidence of two women equal to the witness of one man?” They replied in the affirmative. He said, “This is the deficiency in her intelligence."

Is it allowed to do Dhikr during periods?

According to most Islamic Scholars, it is permissible for a menstruating woman to do Dhikr, Takbir, praising Allah, reading Hadith, Duas, saying Ameen to Duas, and listening to the Quran.
(Majmoo’ al-Fataawa: 26/190)

Is it allowed to recite the Quran without touching the Holy book during periods?

No, it is not permissible for a Muslim woman to recite, read or touch the Quran during her periods.
Surah Al-Waqiyah: 56: 78-80, Ibn Majah: 595

Is it allowed to listen to the recitation of the Quran during periods?

Yes, it is allowed to listen to the recitation of the Quran during periods. Narrated by Hazrat Aisha (RA): The Prophet (PBUH) used to lean on my lap and recite Quran while I was in menses.

(Sahih al-Bukhari 297)

What activities are prohibited during menstruation?

Following activities are prohibited during menstruation:

  • Offering Salah
  • Fasting
  • Recitation of Quran
  • Touching the Quran without wrap
  • Entering the Mosque
  • Intercourse
  • Performing Tawaf

Is it obligatory to observe missed Salahs once the period ends?

No, it is not obligatory to make up for missed prayers during menstruation.
Narrated by Mu'adha:
A woman asked Hazrat Aisha (RA), "Should I offer the prayers that which I did not offer because of menses?" Aisha (RA) said, "Are you from the Huraura" (a town in Iraq?) We were with the Prophet (PBUH) and used to get our periods but he never ordered us to offer them (the Prayers missed during menses)." Aisha (RA) said, "We did not offer them."

What’s the command on observing Salah during pregnancy?

It is obligatory to observe Salah during pregnancy.

Is it obligatory to observe missed fard Fasts once the period ends?

The number of Fard Fasts during Ramadan missed during the days of a woman's menstrual period in Ramadan will be obligatory after Ramadan.
Narrated by Mu'adha: I asked Aisha (RA) What is the reason that a menstruating woman completes the Fasts (that she abandons during her monthly course), but she does not complete the prayers? She (Hazrat Aisha) said: Are you a Haruriya? I said: I am not a Haruriya, but I simply want to inquire. She said: We passed through this (period of menstruation), and we were ordered to complete the fasts, but were not ordered to complete the prayers.

What to do if one’s period starts in between fasting?

In the case of fasting, if a woman has her period at any time before sunset, it will invalidate the fast. One should eat and drink, that is, one should not be hungry or thirsty even in solitude due to the resemblance of fasting people. It is forbidden for a menstruating female to continue to fast when her period starts.

What is proper way of taking ghusl after period ends?

Narrated by Hazrat Aisha (RA):
An Ansari woman asked the Prophet (PBUH) how to take a bath after finishing the menses. He replied, "Take a piece of cloth perfumed with musk and clean the private parts with it thrice." The Prophet (PBUH) felt shy and turned his face. So I pulled her to me and told her what the Prophet (PBUH) meant.
(Sahih al-Bukhari 315)

What does Islam say about women maintaining proper hygiene during their periods?

Islam places great emphasis on cleanliness even as cleanliness is said to be a branch of faith, so every Muslim in any situation should take full care of his cleanliness even during menstruation. Islam teaches us to take care of cleanliness as much as possible. For example, the pad should be used during menstruation and your body should not be contaminated with blood. The pad should be changed in time and its blood should be washed and sealed in a bag and thrown in the garbage. If there is no medical harm in bathing, take one or two baths during menstruation to keep your body clean.

Are there any duas one can recite when dealing with period cramps?

There isn't any specific dua for period cramps. But you can always make Dua to Allah and do Dhikr to alleviate the pain.

 

What if bleeding prolongs for more than 10 days? Does this count as periods? And after how many days can a woman resume her prayers even if the bleeding is not stopped?

Suppose the regular period length for one's menstruation is seven days. However, during one random cycle, the bleeding continues, exceeding the average time length - even lasting up to ten days. In this case, we can consider this a change of habitualness, and the person will need to retake a ghusl once the bleeding and spotting stops. However, let's suppose the bleeding doesn't stop even after ten days. In that case, prolonged bleeding should be considered a cause of some illness. Since the extended bleeding is not from menstruation, the person dealing with such a situation will need to believe that their menstruation stopped on the day of their regular menstruation length (the seventh day in this case).

Considering the latter circumstances, the person will also have to make up for their fard prayers and fasts exceeding the day of their regular menstruation length. Moreover, they won't have to repeat their ghusl afterward (considering they already took a ghusl after the seventh day) since the prolonged bleeding was not due to periods. Fatima bint Abi Hubaish asked the Prophet (PBUH) about persistent bleeding between periods. He replied that it's from a blood vessel and to give up prayers only on the days when you usually get your menses.

What if a woman skips her Fast due to pregnancy or breastfeeding? Then how can she make those Fasts later?

The pregnant and the breastfeeding are obliged to observe fast unless they feared harm to themselves or with their babies due to either abstaining from food, drink and medication, or they were advised by a trustful and God-fearing physician not to fast. In such cases, they are required to make up for the missed fasting days and no ransom can replace that.
If they feared harm to themselves similar to the harm inflicted upon a sick person, even along with their babies, then it is incumbent on them to make up for the missed fast without paying a ransom (as per Sharirah). However, if they feared harm on their babies alone: the pregnant feared abortion, or the breastfeeding feared a decrease in her lactate, then it is incumbent that they pay a ransom along with making up for the missed fast.
Nevertheless, if the fast was bearable, and there was no harm to the pregnant woman or her fetus, then it is impermissible for her to break fast. Therefore, it is recommended for her to consult a specialized physician to check your ability to observe fast. And Allah knows best.

Concept of fidya in case of missed Fast. And in which scenarios is it eligible to give fidya of missed Fast?

According to Abd al Aziz ibn Abdullah Ibn Baz, former Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, one poor person for each day should be fed for each missing fast, which is equal to half a Saa' of the local staple food, such as dates, rice, etc. And half a Saa' is equivalent to approximately one and a half kilograms (1½ KG).

(Surah Al-Baqarah: 2:184-185 - Majmoo' al-Fataawa: 15/203)

As narrated in the Holy Quran:

"[Fasting is for] a limited number of days. So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them] - then an equal number of days [are to be made up]. And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] - a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day]. And whoever volunteers excess it is better for him. But to fast is best for you, if you only knew."  

Quran, 2:184-5

For how many days women cannot fast and perform salah after childbirth?

The vaginal bleeding that usually continues for forty days after childbirth is called 'lochia'. During these forty days (or less, if the bleeding stops early), women are prohibited from observing Salah and fasting - much like the conditions of menstruation. While the Salah missed during these days are excused, women still need to make up for the fard fasts later on.

Now, suppose a woman gives birth to her first child, and the bleeding exceeds forty days. In that case, the first forty days will be considered the post-birth bleeding called lochia. As for the rest of the days, prolonged bleeding should be considered a cause of some illness. It means that the person dealing with such a situation must resume their prayers and fasts after forty days, even if the bleeding continues. Note that you must clean your privates before every Salah to maintain hygiene and get your Salah accepted. Moreover, the fard fasts missed during the forty days can also be observed as Qada during that time period.

As for women who have given birth to a child before and their bleeding exceeds forty days this time, they should only count those number of days as lochia that was the count of their first post-birth bleeding cycle (the number of days during which the post-birth bleeding continued the first time they gave birth to a child). So, if the first time their bleeding stopped at the thirtieth day, and this time they have crossed the forty-days mark, they should consider thirty days as their lochia period now. It also means they will need to make up for the Salahs missed after the thirty days of bleeding.

*Women whose lochia ended in less than forty days after their first childbirth but continued up until forty days (but not exceeding the forty-days mark) in any of the latter births will consider their whole bleeding cycle as lochia.

What if someone gets her periods during Hajj or Umrah?

It is prohibited to enter a mosque in the state of menstruation. Therefore, women can't circumambulate the Kaaba (perform Tawaf) while on their periods. Contrarily, they can still perform other rituals and do dhikr in Mina, Muzdalifah, and Arafat. Similarly, they can perform Sa'i (the ritual of walking back and forth seven times between the two small hills of Safa and Marwa). Suppose the time of Tawaf al-Ziyarah (Tawaf carried out on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah after leaving the state of Ihram) comes while you're on your periods. In that case, you must delay the ritual until you've taken a ghusl and are pure again, observing Tawaf afterward.

When we reached the Prophet (PBUH) for Hajj and we set out with Sarif, I got my menses. When the Prophet (PBUH) came to me, I was weeping. He asked, "Why are you weeping?" I said, "I wish I had not performed Hajj this year." He asked, "Maybe that you got your menses?" I replied, "Yes." He then said, "This is the thing which Allah has ordained for all the daughters of Adam. So do what all the pilgrims do except that you do not perform the Tawaaf round the Ka'ba till you are clean."  

(Sahih al-Bukhari 305)