Women: what is not allowed during menstruation

[NewFreeMind]

Hello everyone,

I was this discussion with a friend and it got me really curious; I would like to know your opinion on this matter.

The discussion was that women can't pray,recite the Quran or touch it during menstruation.

I found only one verse in the Quran that talks about menstruation [2:222], however it doesn't say anything about forbidding prays
What's the ruling?

[Wakas]

My understanding is: if it's not explicitly prohibited in Quran then it is allowed. One could make an indirect argument, based on other reasoning/principles etc but whether it would be a sound argument is another matter. Personally, I have not seen a sound argument.

[NewFreeMind]

Sometime we need to make indirect arguments because one verse,when connected to another verse, brings to life a new set of information, that allow you to come to a conclusion, even if is not explicitly mentioned in the Quran.

For example:

[2:222] states that men should stay away from women during their menstruations as they are not pure;(I feel like the verse tells you that men should have any sexual contact with women in that state and it also tells the reader that such states puts the women in an impure state,which then can be linked with [5:6]) however this doesn't say anything about women not having the possibility to pray or touch/recite the Quran.

[5:6] Talks about ablution, a purification act that is required before pray. Now, if the women, according to [2:222] is not pure and menstruation constantly keep the women in that state; [5:6] will not help them purify and therefore they shouldn't be allowed to pray(recite/touch Quran by extension, my personal opinion).

[Reee]

In case the Qur'an is not clear, I prefer to use the "other Qur'an": Reality. And there, I find two points:

- menstruation is a God-given status, so why should God put half of humanity in a status of impurity?
- Nowadays, we have tampons, so while in times of Mohamed, the blood was running down the womens' legs, today that is no issue.

[Jafar]

I was this discussion with a friend and it got me really curious; I would like to know your opinion on this matter.

The discussion was that women can't pray,recite the Quran or touch it during menstruation.

I found only one verse in the Quran that talks about menstruation [2:222], however it doesn't say anything about forbidding prays
What's the ruling?

Yes it's true, no religious ritual can be performed by women during menstruation.. women should be forbidden to do any ritual during their menstruation period or even being nearby and touch any idol or holy object (such as quran, black cube, black stone). According to Arabic / Mecan tradition which handed down for generations..

Manaf (Arabic: مناف‎‎) was another Meccan god who is thought to be a sun-god. His idol was caressed by women. Menstruating women were forbidden from coming near his idol. The Meccans were accustomed to name their children Abd Manaf. Muhammad's great-great-grandfather's name was Abd Manaf which means "slave of Manaf".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manaf_(deity)

[Jafar]

In case the Qur'an is not clear, I prefer to use the "other Qur'an": Reality. And there, I find two points:
- menstruation is a God-given status, so why should God put half of humanity in a status of impurity?

I don't think the true God ever did that..

Some people do and they claimed that it's coming from their god.. and their god is the truest god.... according to them..

[Man of Faith]

Decently intelligent people know menstruation is a natural part of the female functionality of the reproductive system when an egg from the ovary is not leading to pregnancy and rather released out of the body. It might look uninviting what comes out, but it is hardly hazardous taking what it contains, i.e. blood and mucosal tissue from the inner lining of the uterus. Personally I would prefer not to have intercourse during this period and it will not lead to pregnancy.

Be well
Amenuel

[huruf]

Everything is llowed towomen when  menstruating according to the Qur'an. It is the men that are restricted fromapproaching them. To women nothing is forbidden and it is to them than when they are through with the menses who allowed again to approach them.

Read very carefully and notice what you read and is written and not what you have of previous ideas inyour mind. It is peaking to men about a question they formulated regarding their attitude to women when they have the menses and that is what is answered. And women are not ordered anything not prohibited anything at all,not even approaching the men. It is the men that are prohibited something.

Salaam

[hawk99]

Peace NewFreeMind, there is no Quranic basis restricting women from praying,
or leading the prayer, fasting, making hajj, making dua, going shopping, driving cars or
just staring out the window    only sexual intercourse is forbidden during her menses!



                                 

[Wakas]

[2:222] states that men should stay away from women during their menstruations as they are not pure...

Now, if the women, according to [2:222] is not pure...

Are you sure it says that?

The actual Arabic:
http://corpus.quran.com/wordbyword.jsp?chapter=2&verse=222#(2:222:1)

1) it is an instruction to the men
2) it actually says "...until / when they are purified/cleansed...". THR/purify/cleanse is a word used frequently in Quran for men/women (in fact, at the end of 2:222 it used in the masculine plural).
3) 2:222 doesn't prohibit anything for women during menses, nor does anywhere else in Quran
4) by using 5:6 you have assumed equivalence of "upholding/establishing the salat" with touching/reading Quran.

As I said I have not seen a sound argument so far. It's fine to have this as a personal opinion, but to claim something is prohibited is a very strong statement, and extremely dangerous for one who is concerned about being held to account by God. Please note, I'm not saying you are saying its prohibited.

My personal view is it is not prohibited, and it is upto the women to choose if it applies to them. For example each woman will experience menses differently, for some it is a minor annoyance, for others it can be significantly problematic.
This subjectivity is also in the ablution verses, e.g. it is the person doing ablution to determine which state (and to what degree) applies to them.