Menstruatuion

Women's monthly menstruation, which starts at maturity and continues until the fifties or sixties, is nothing but the discharge of spoiled blood and tissues which were to hold the fetus had it been conceived.

Allah, the Almighty, says:

"They ask thee concerning women's menstruation. Say: They are a discomfort and a pollution."


This indicates that the discharged blood is a harmful substance, which would harm women if it stayed in their bodies. It is even noticeable that women's psychological and physiological states, including their facial appearance and everyday conduct change at this time of the month. By this, we conclude that the bleeding which results from monthly menstruation differs from the normal kind of bleeding, which any human being-including women-might suffer.


It is unquestionable that monthly menstruation causes women to feel nervous, shy and dejected despite the fact that this occurrence is an involuntary natural course. Yet women suffer this course, which is unmentionable to anyone especially to men. For this reason, women are not obligated to perform prayers or fast during menstruation. They are also forbidden from staying in Mosques or to enter the Sacred Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina. In addition, reciting the chapters of Qalam, Najm, Alif Lam Mim Tanzil, and Ha Mim as Sajdah are not to be read during women's monthly periods.

These laws, which have just been mentioned, are also valid during confinement in childbed.