Reciting & Touching Quran on Menstruation.
- Jul 9
- 4 min read
This is a summary of the difference of opinions with regards to Reciting & Touching the Quran.
Recitation of the Quran
The view of it being IMPERMISSIBLE to recite Quran:
The reciting of the Qur'an by a menstruating woman either via direct looking or silently (in her heart) without the actual uttering by the tongue is permissible.
Menstruation is seen as coming under the rulings that apply to one who is junub (in a state of impurity following sexual intercourse), because both states require ghusl. This is based on the hadith narrated by ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib ( رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), according to which the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) used to teach the Quran and he never prevented anyone from learning it except those who were in a state of janabah (major ritual impurity).”
(Reported by Abu Dawud, 1/281; al-Tirmidhi, 146; al-Nasai, 1/144; Ibn Majah, 1/207; Ahmad, 1/84; Ibn Khuzaymah, 1/104. Al-Tirmidhi said: a sahih hasan hadith. Al-Hafiz ibn Hajar said: the truth is that it is the type of hasan hadith that could be used as evidence).
The view of it being PERMISSIBLE to recite Quran:
The hadith of Ibn ‘Umar ( رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), according to which the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said: “The menstruating woman and the one who is in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah) should not recite anything of the Quran.”
(Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 131; Ibn Majah, 595; al-Daraqutni (1/117); al-Bayhaqi, 1/89. This is a da’if hadith, because it was reported by Isma’il ibn ‘Ayyash from the Hijazis, and his reports from them are da’if as is well known to those who are conversant with the study of hadith. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said (21/460): it is a da’if hadith by the unanimous agreement of the scholars of hadith.
However as Sheikh Al Islam ibn Taymiyah interpreted from that hadith as it was weak, he took the view it is preferred & permissible to recite:
Shaykh Ibn Taymiyah said: "Basically, there is no Sunnah to prevent her from reciting Qur'an. The "hadith" that: "A menstruating woman and the one who is in state of Janabah should not recite anything of the Qur'an", is a weak hadith as agreed upon by the knowledgeable scholars of Hadith. In fact women at the time of the Prophet (ﷺ) used to have their monthly cycles of menses. Had the recitation of Qur’an been prohibited for them (as it is the case with Salat) then the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) would have made it clear to his Ummah and his wives would have known about it and they would have dissipated this knowledge to the people. Because no one had related a prohibition by the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) about this issue, then it cannot be made unlawful especially when it is known that he (صلى الله عليه و سلم) did not prohibit it at the time when menses was very much present. Al-Fatawa V. 26, P. 191.
NATURAL BLOOD OF WOMEN By Shaykh Muhammad bin Salih Al-Uthaymeen. Second Edition.
This view is also the view of Sheikh Al Islam Ibn Taymiyah (as mentioned) which he preferred and Al Shawkani believed to be correct. Imam Malik as well.
Touching of the Quran:
Shafi'i, Maliki, Hanbali and Hanafi- Forbidden direct touching however indirect touching is allowed for example using a barrier like a cloth, screen, or stick to turn the pages with necessity if she fears forgetting her memorisation or is a teacher.
The correct view of the scholars is that it is forbidden to touch the mushaf when one is in any kind of state of impurity, because Allah سُبْحَانَ ٱللَّهِ says (interpretation of the meaning):
"None touch it except the purified [i.e., the angels]." (56:79)
In a letter to ‘Amr ibn Hazm, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) told the people of Yemen: “No one should touch the Quran except one who is tahir (pure).”
The hadith is reported by Malik, 1/199; al-Nasai, 8/57; Ibn Hibban, 793; al-Bayhaqi, 1/87. Al-Hafiz ibn Hajar said: A group of scholars classed this hadith as sahih because it is so well known. Al-Shafi'i said: It is proven by them that it was a letter sent by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said: “This letter is famous among the scholars of sirah, and is so well known among the scholars that it does not need an isnad. It is like tawatur because the people accepted and recognized it. Shaykh al-Albani said that it is sahih.
DHIKR:
Q: During Menses, it is not unlawful to celebrate Allah’s Praises (Saying Takbeer, Tasbeeh, and Tahmeed), saying Bismillah before acting upon something (eating, drinking, etc..), reading Hadeeth, Islamic discussions, invocation upon Allah (Dua’), and listening to the recitation of Qur’an.
It has been confirmed by ‘Aisha (رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَ) that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) used to: “lean on my lap and recite Qur’an while I was in menses”
(Al-Bukhari and Muslim). Saheeh Al-Bukhari (Arabic-English) V.1, P.179, Hadeeth # 296.
Also Umm ‘Atiyya reported that she heard the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) saying: “The Unmarried young virgins and the mature girl who stay often screened or the young unmarried virgins who often stay screened and the menstruating women should come out and participate in the good deeds as well as the religious gathering of the faithful believers but the menstruating women should keep away from the Musalla (praying place).”
Agreed upon Hadeeth. In Saheeh Al-Bukhari (Arabic- English), V. 1, P. 192, Hadeeth # 321.
