A Ruling Regarding the Monthly Cycle and Sawm (fast)

Ruling on performing Nikah and reciting Kalimah during the monthly cycle

Question 1: What do the blessed ‘Ulama [Islamic scholars] and Muftis [Islamic jurists] state regarding the following matters: (1) Does Nikah take place [validly] during a woman’s monthly cycle? (2) In our society, bride is also made to recite Kalimahs; can a woman recite Kalimahs during her monthly cycle?

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ  ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

1     Nikah is defined as: Performance of Aeejaab [proposal] and Qubool [acceptance] by a man and a woman for Nikah in the presence of two witnesses (i.e. either two men or one man and two women). For Nikah, it is not a condition that a woman should be free from the female-related issues. Therefore, Nikah will take place validly during her monthly cycle as well (provided that other conditions are fulfilled). However, remember that it is Haraam [prohibited] to copulate with a woman during her monthly cycle. In fact, it is not permissible in this state to touch the portion of a woman’s body from beneath the navel up to and including the knees directly without anything in between. Moreover, looking at this portion lustfully is also impermissible. However, every type of benefit from the portion of the body above and below the abovementioned portion is unconditionally permissible. Therefore, if Nikah and Rukhsati^[1] take place during a woman’s monthly cycle, the abovementioned ruling should be given careful consideration.

2     It is Haraam for a woman to recite the Holy Quran during her monthly cycle. Other than it, reciting Zikr-o-Azkaar, Kalimahs, Salat-‘Alan-Nabi صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, etc., is permissible. In fact, she can recite even those Ayahs which contain Zikr, praise and Du’a with the intention of Zikr and Du’a, having no intention of recitation [of the Holy Quran]. Even though some of the Kalimahs contain Quranic words, they are recited only as Zikr without the intention of recitation [of the Holy Quran]. Therefore, a woman can recite Kalimahs during her monthly cycle. However, it is better to recite Kalimahs after performing Wudu or rinsing the mouth.

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ   عَزَّوَجَلَّ   وَ رَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم   صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ واٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم

Written by: Abu Saaleh Muhammad Qaasim Al-Qaadiri

A ruling regarding the monthly cycle and Sawm [fast]

Question 2: What do the blessed ‘Ulama and Muftis state regarding the following matter: We know the ruling that if a woman’s monthly cycle starts in the state of Sawm [fasting], her Sawm breaks and then she is allowed to eat and drink. However, it is better that she does not eat in front of others but it is not necessary for her to remain hungry and thirsty like the Sawm-observing people. The question is: If a woman becomes pure [i.e. her monthly cycle ends] after Tulu’-e-Fajr [the starting time of Fajr Salah] in a day of Ramadan, is it necessary for her to spend the rest part of that day like the Sawm-observing people or not? Please guide us on this matter.

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ  ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

For a woman who attains purity after Tulu’-e-Fajr in a day of Ramadan, it is Wajib [compulsory] to spend the rest part of that day like the Sawm-observing people because according to the laws of Shari’ah: It is Wajib to remain like the Sawm-observing people for every such person for whom there is ‘Uzr [any difficulty considered valid by the Shari’ah] in observing the Sawm of Ramadan in the early part of the day but the ‘Uzr comes to an end at any time during the day and then he gets into such state that if he was in it in the early part of the day, observing Sawm would be Fard [obligatory] for him.

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ   عَزَّوَجَلَّ   وَ رَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم   صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ واٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم

Written by: Abu Saaleh Muhammad Qaasim Al-Qaadiri