Question: What is the ruling concerning a woman who had her menses during the days of her Hajj? Is the Hajj she performed valid?
Response: If a woman gets her menses during the days of Hajj, she performs all of the deeds of the Hajj except for the tawaaf of the Ka’bah and the going between the hills of as-Safaa and al-Marwah. She does not do those acts until she becomes pure. When she becomes pure, she makes ghusl, and performs the circumambulation and the circuits. If the menses come and the only rite she has not performed is the tawaaf al-wadaa’, then she goes home without performing it as it is no longer required of her [due to her state] and her Hajj is correct. The basis for this is what is recorded by at-Tirmidhee and Abu Daawood from ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abbaas that the Messenger of Allaah (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) said:
((The woman with post-partum bleeding and the menstruating women, when they come to the miqat [the place to enter the state of ihraam] are to make ghusl, enter the state of ihraam and perform all of the rites of the Hajj save for the circumambulation of the House [Ka’bah])).
In the Saheeh, it is recorded from ‘Aa.ishah that she had her menses before completing the rites of the ‘Umrah and the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) told her to enter the state of ihraamfor Hajj and to not tawaaf the House (Ka’bah) until she was pure. He told her to do all of the rites of the Hajj and to combine it with the ‘Umrah. Al-Bukhaaree recorded from ‘Aa.ishah that Safiyyah, the wife of the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam), received her menses and mentioned that to the Messenger of Allaah (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam). He said:
((Is she going to hold us up?)), they said, “She has already made the tawaaf al-ifaadhah.” He said:
((In that case, she is not [going to hold us up])).
In another narration, ‘Aa.ishah said, “Safiyyah had the menses after she finished the tawaaf al-ifaadhah. I mentioned her menses to the Messenger of Allaah (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) and he said:
((Is she going to hold us up?)), I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, she has already performed thetawaaf al-ifaadhah of the mosque.’ So the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) said:
((Then let us go)).
And with Allaah lies all success and may Allaah send prayers and salutations upon our Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) and his family and his companions.
The Permanent Committee for Islaamic Research and Fataawa
Fataawa al-Mar.ah.fatwaonline.com
