Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Badat
Question:
Can I read Qur’an if I am on my period?
Answer:
Thank you for your question.
It is generally agreed by mainstream classical and Islamic jurists that it is prohibited for women menstruating to recite the Qur’an.
‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Omar reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) said:
“A menstruating women or a seminally defiled person should not recite any part of the Qur’an”.
(Tirmidhi and Bayhaqi)
It is also commonly agreed amongst the fuqaha that:
- It is permitted to hold du’a books that contain Qur’an in them, in a state of menstruation.
- It is permitted to recite du’as from the Qur’an, with the intention of supplication, though not with the intention of reciting the Qur’an.
- If the Qur’an is in a casing, or wrapped in a cloth, or covered with a cloth jacket which is not stitched onto the Qur’an, and which can be removed; then in such a case, the Qur’an could be touched and could also be carried without purity.
- If a woman experiencing menstruation, is teaching the Qur’an to girls, then in such a situation, it will be permissible for her to spell out the words. When she is teaching them to read, she should not recite the entire verse, but should read one or two words at a time and after every word or two, she should pause and break her breath.
It is reported form ‘Ali (peace and blessings upon him) and also Imam Abu Ḥanifah (may Allah’s mercy be upon him) that:
“an articulation is only considered a recitation if it is read in its entirety – a complete verse”
(Majma’ al Zawaid)
“Whatever is articulated as less than a verse would not be considered as recitation of the Qur’an”.
(Fatḥ Al Qadir, I’ela Al Sunan, Al Hidayah)
“It is not prohibited upon a junubi (one who is in the state of major impurity) and haidh (one who is in menses) to recite one or two words at a time of the Noble Qur’an”.
(Fath Al Qadir).
Imam Tirmidhi (may Allah be pleased with him) states that most people of knowledge from amongst the Companions, tabiun and those who came after them, such as Sufyan Al Thawri, ‘Abd Allah bin Mubarak, Imam Shafie’i, Imam Aḥmad, and Ishaq have stated,
“The woman in menses and the man in major impurities (janabah) is not to recite the Qur’an except isolated words or parts of a verse etc.”.
(I’ela Al Sunan)
And Allah Knows Best.
