Menstruating women and entering Mosque

 masjid

It is not permissible for menstruating women or anyone in need of Ghu’sl to enter the designated prayer area within a Mosque until they achieve purity.


حدثنا محمد هو ابن سلام قال أخبرنا عبد الوهاب عن أيوب عن حفصة قالت كنا نمنع عواتقنا أن يخرجن في العيدين فقدمت امرأة فنزلت قصر بني خلف فحدثت عن أختها وكان زوج أختها غزا مع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ثنتي عشرة غزوة وكانت أختي معه في ست قالت كنا نداوي الكلمى ونقوم على المرضى فسألت أختي النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أعلى إحدانا بأس إذا لم يكن لها جلباب أن لا تخرج قال لتلبسها صاحبتها من جلبابها ولتشهد الخير ودعوة المسلمين فلما قدمت أم عطية سألتها أسمعت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قالت بأبي نعم وكانت لا تذكره إلا قالت بأبي سمعته يقول يخرج العواتق وذوات الخدور أو العواتق ذوات الخدور والحيض وليشهدن الخير ودعوة المؤمنين ويعتزل الحيض المصلى قالت حفصة فقلت الحيض فقالت أليس تشهد عرفة وكذا وكذا

Sayyidina  Ayub (RA)  narrated that Sayyida Hafsa bint Sirin (RA) said, "On Eid we used to forbid our girls to go out for Eid prayer. A lady came and stayed at the palace of Bani Khalaf and I went to her. She said, 'The husband of my sister took part in twelve holy battles along with the Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) and my sister was with her husband in six of them. My sister said that they used to nurse the sick and treat the wounded. Once she asked, 'O Allah's Apostle (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam)! If a woman has no veil, is there any harm if she does not come out (on Eid day)?' The Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) said, 'Her companion should let her share her veil with her, and the women should participate in the good deeds and in the religious gatherings of the believers.' " Hafsa (RA)  added, "When Um-'Atiya came, I went to her and asked her, 'Did you hear anything about so-and-so?' Um-'Atlya said, 'Yes, let my father be sacrificed for the Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam)  (And whenever she mentioned the name of the Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) she always used to say, 'Let my father be' sacrificed for him). He (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) said, 'Virgin mature girls staying often screened (or said, 'Mature girls and virgins staying often screened--Ayub is not sure as which was right) and menstruating women should come out (on the Eid day). But the menstruating women should keep away from the Musalla. And all the women should participate in the good deeds and in the religious gatherings of the believers'." Hafsa said, "On that I said to Um-'Atiya, 'Also those who are menstruating?' " Um-'Atiya replied, "Yes. Do they not present themselves at 'Arafat and elsewhere?". [Bukhari]

حدثنا عبد الله بن يوسف أخبرنا مالك عن عبد الله بن أبي بكر بن محمد بن عمرو بن حزم عن أبيه عن عمرة بنت عبد الرحمن عن عائشة زوج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أنها قالت لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يا رسول الله إن صفية بنت حيي قد حاضت قال رسول الله " - ص 125 -" صلى الله عليه وسلم لعلها تحبسنا ألم تكن طافت معكن فقالوا بلى قال فاخرجي

Sayyida 'Aisha (RA) narrated that I told Allah's Apostle(Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) that Safiya bint Huyai (RA) had got her menses. He (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) said, "She will probably delay us. Did she perform Tawaf (Al-Ifada) with you?" We replied, "Yes." On that the Prophet(Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) told her to depart. [Bukhari]

وقال الآخران حدثنا أبو معاوية عن الأعمش عن ثابت بن عبيد عن القاسم بن محمد عن عائشة قالت قال لي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ناوليني الخمرة من المسجد قالت فقلت إني حائض فقال إن حيضتك ليست في يدك

Sayyida 'Aisha (RA) reported that the Messenger of Allah (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) said to me: Get me the mat from the mosque. I said: I am menstruating. Upon this he (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) remarked: Your menstruation is not in your hand. [Muslim]

 حدثنا مسدد ، ثنا عبد الْواحد بن زياد ثنا الأفلت بن خليفة قال حدثتني جسْرة بنت دجاجة قالت سمعت عائشة رضي الله عنها تقول جاء رسول اللَّه صلى الله عليه وسلم ووجوه بيوت أَصحابه شارعة في المسجد فقال وجهوا هذه الْبيوت عن المسجد ثم دخل النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ولم يصنع القوم شيئا رجاء أن تنزل فيهم رخصة فخرج إليهم بعد فقال وجهوا هذه البيوت عن المسجد فإني لا أحل المسجد لحائض ولا جنب قال أبو داود وهو فليت العامري

Ummul-Mumineen Sayyida Aisha (RA) narrated that the Apostle of Allah (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) came and saw that the doors of the houses of his Companions were facing the mosque. He (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) said: Turn the direction of the houses from the mosque. The Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam)then entered (the houses or the mosque), and the people didn’t take any step in this regard hoping that some concession might be revealed. He the Prophet(Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) again came upon them and said: Turn the direction of these (doors) from the mosque I do not make the mosque lawful for a menstruating woman and for a person who is sexually defiled. [Abi Daud]

Menstruation: Proofs for the Impermissibility of Women Touching the Quran or Entering the Mashaf

Shaykh (Mufti) Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf Mangera (HA)

I was once told by a Maulana that whilst women are menstruating, it is not permissible for them to either 1) touch/recite Qur'an, not even one verse or 2) enter a masjid. However, in recent times many people I meet are telling me differently, including people of knowledge. For example, a sheikh has told me that it is ok for the women to enter the masjid. I am pretty sure that the Hanafi school of thought holds that women are not allowed to enter the masjid, but I was wondering if it is possible to get the daleel for this so that I may be able to give a better explanation than,"Well, a Maulana told me that this was not permissible." Today, everyone wants proof.

Assalamu alaykum

In the name of Allah, the Inspirer of truth.

It is an agreed upon issue that a menstruating women or a person inthe seminally defiled state is prohibited from entering the masjid. Many hadiths state this. To quote a few:

  1. 'A'isha ra relates that the Prophet Sallallahu alayhi wasallam said: "I do not make lawful the masjid for menstruating women or for one who is in a seminally defiled state [junub]. (Sunan Abu Dawud)
  2. Umm Salama ra related that the Prophet Sallallahu alayhi wasallam entered the courtyard of the masjid and announced aloud, "The masjid is not permitted for the seminally defiled and for the menstruating women." (Tabarani)
  3. 'A'isha ra relates that the Prophet Sallallahu alayi wasallam called out from the masjid, "O 'A'isha, hand me the cloth." She told him that she was menstruating, so he said the menstruation is not in her hands [i.e. that she could hand him the cloth. Note: the door of her chamber opened up into the masjid]. (Sahih Muslim)

Also in regards to the prohibition of reciting a portion of the Qur'an for them, there are the following hadiths.

'Abdullah ibn 'Umar relates that Prophet Sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, "A menstruating women or a seminally defiled person should not recite any part of the Qur'an. (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Sunan al-Bayhaqi)

There are also other hadiths transmitted by Imam Daraqutni, Tirmidhi, Nasa'i, Ibn Maja, Abu Dawud, Ibn Hibban, Hakim and others in this regard (See Nasb al-Raya].

Another hadith found in the Muwatta of Imam Malik states that "Only a person in the state of purity should touch the Qur'an." This hadith has been transmitted by many other hadith scholars as well.

'Allama Zayla'i has discussed the hadiths pertaining to these questions thoroughly in his Nasb al-Raya. 1:194199.

Hence, it is established that women in their periods are prohibited from entering themasjid area. The same pertains to those who are in a seminally defiled state and are in need of a ritual bath [ghusl]. However, it would be permissible for such people to entera side hall or room in an Islamic Center that is not considered the actual masjid or sanctified prayer area, for instance to attend a dars or lecture.

And Allah knows best.

Wassalam
Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf