Question: There is no doubt that the tawaaf known as al-ifaadhah is one of the pillars and essential acts of the Hajj. If the menstruating women did not perform it due to lack of time and the time was not such that she could wait for her menses to end, what is the ruling concerning that?
Response: It is obligatory upon her and her guardian to wait until she becomes pure and then to perform the tawaaf al-ifaadhah. This is based on the Prophet’s (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) statement when he was told that Safiyyah had received her menses:
((Is she going to hold us up?)).
When he was told that she had performed the tawaaf al-ifaadhah, he said:
((Then let’s go)).
If she is not able to wait but she has the ability to return to Makkah to perform the tawaaf, then she may travel and return after she becomes pure to perform the tawaaf. If she does not have the ability to return or she fears that she would not be able to return, like those who live in far away places from Makkah, like the people of the West, Indonesia and so forth, then, according to the correct opinion, she may protect [her blood from dripping on to the floor] and perform the tawaafwith the intention of Hajj. This is considered permissible by a number of scholars, includingShaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah and his student ibn al-Qayyim as well as other scholars.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz
Fataawa al-Mar.ah.fatwaonline.com
