Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
It is permissible for a person in i'tikaf, when needed, to wash his head or body in the place of i'tikaf.
From this hadith, the esteemed Imam (rahimahullah) has established this ruling.

Hadith Commentary:

(1)
From this hadith, it is understood that a person in i'tikaf (spiritual retreat) may wash his head or body when needed. Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has established this ruling from this hadith.

(2)
It is also understood from this hadith that the body of a menstruating woman is pure, and her impurity is legal (hukmi) in nature. If her body were not pure, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would not have requested Lady Aisha radi Allahu anha to wash his head. It should be clear that in this hadith, there is mention of physical contact with a menstruating woman. What is meant by this is bodily contact with one's wife and embracing her, not intercourse.

(3)
Touching one's wife with desire does not invalidate i'tikaf, but such actions are not appropriate for the person in i'tikaf, because the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has prohibited it. (Umdat al-Qari: 3/111) In one narration, it is mentioned that Lady Aisha radi Allahu anha used to wash the blessed head of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam with khatmi herb. (Musnad Ahmad: 6/261)

Hadith Commentary:
➊
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has established this chapter regarding the rulings of intimacy (mubasharah) with a menstruating woman. By this is meant sleeping with or caressing a menstruating woman, not intercourse (jima‘), because intercourse with a menstruating woman is not permissible under any circumstance.

Although in our common usage and idiom, the word "mubasharah" is used for intercourse, therefore, translating it as "mubasharah" in Urdu is incorrect.

Some short-sighted Orientalists, in view of the ahadith mentioned in this chapter, have—God forbid—tried to portray the noble personality of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam as "fond of women," claiming that he did not abstain from them even during menstruation. These ahadith absolutely do not prove such a thing.

The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was extremely refined and pure.

Even an ordinary person feels aversion to approaching a woman during menstruation, let alone attributing such an act to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

﴿ سُبْحَانَكَ هَٰذَا بُهْتَانٌ عَظِيمٌ ﴾

For the information of the esteemed readers, the "dabb" (spiny-tailed lizard) has been endowed by the Creator (Allah Ta‘ala) with extremely strong sexual instincts. Reliable eyewitnesses state that it has two male organs. People eat it and use its fat as an ointment.

In the ahadith, it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, despite its permissibility, disliked it.

Other companions radi Allahu anhum ate it at his table, but he himself did not partake.

Most likely, the reason for this was that people would gossip that since the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam had nine wives in his marriage, he used the dabb (spiny-tailed lizard).

He expressed dislike for it so that no one could find fault with his noble character from any angle.

And Allah knows best.

➋
According to Imam Thawri rahimahullah, Imam Ahmad rahimahullah, Imam Ishaq rahimahullah, and many other imams, during menstruation only intercourse (jima‘) is prohibited with a woman, and deriving pleasure from the rest of her body apart from the private area (the place of menstruation) is permissible.

From the perspective of evidence, this opinion appears to be the strongest. This is also supported by the narration in Sunan Abu Dawud, in which it is mentioned that if the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam desired his wife while she was menstruating, he would place a cloth over her private area.

(Sunan Abu Dawud, Book of Purification, Hadith: 272)

The narration that differentiates between the initial and later days of menstruation, which Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has quoted in Fath al-Bari from Ibn Majah, is found in Mu‘jam Tabarani, but it is weak.

(al-Silsilah al-Da‘ifah: 2839)

It should be remembered that permissibility is only in the case where a person has control over himself; otherwise, during menstruation, the man should keep away from the woman.

➌
The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam had complete control over his desires.

This can have two meanings:

© The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam had full control over his emotions, and it was impossible that even if he wished to rest with any of his wives without an izar (lower garment), any unlawful act could occur. Yet, despite such control, he would first ensure the izar was worn, and then rest with her.

© Even after wearing the izar, there remains a possibility of being swept away by intense emotions; therefore, despite using the izar, caution is necessary. Thus, regarding lying with one's wife during menstruation, the detail is that if a person has complete confidence in himself and there is no fear of wrongdoing, then it is permitted; otherwise, it should be prohibited.

➍
The hadith of Aisha radi Allahu anha (no. 302) has been narrated from Abu Ishaq Shaybani by Khalid ibn Abdullah al-Wasiti and Jarir ibn Abdul Hamid, who have corroborated Ali ibn Mushir. The corroboration by Khalid has been narrated with a connected chain by Abu al-Qasim al-Tanukhi in his Fawa’id, while the corroboration by Jarir has been narrated with a connected chain by Abu Dawud in his Sunan and Imam Hakim in his Mustadrak.

Mansur ibn Abi al-Aswad has also narrated this report from Shaybani, which Abu Awanah has narrated with a connected chain in his Musnad.

(Fath al-Bari: 5261)

➎
The deniers of hadith in the present age strive to create contradictions and conflicts between the Qur’an and hadith in order to pave the way for the rejection of hadith.

In this way, when hadith has no role in understanding the Qur’an, there will be no obstacle in making arbitrary interpretations of the Noble Qur’an. Regarding this hadith as well, they have said that it mentions intimacy (mubasharah) with the wife during menstruation, whereas the Qur’an contains a prohibitive ruling about this; therefore, this hadith is unacceptable as it is contrary to the Qur’an.

We have mentioned this to warn the esteemed readers.

The hadith is clear in its meaning that mubasharah does not mean intercourse, but rather lying with one’s wife and caressing her. If there appears to be a contradiction between the Qur’an and hadith, then instead of rejecting it, one should reconcile and interpret it.

In several verses of the Noble Qur’an, apparent contradictions can be seen, but the commentators reconcile them; it is not the case that whenever a minor contradiction appears, it is outright rejected.

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
Tataziru:
She would tie a sheet,
because "izar" refers to a lower garment (waist-wrapper).
(2)
Yubashiru:
To bring body in contact with body,
to lie down with someone.

Takhrij al-Hadith:
[168۔ البخاري فى : 6 كتاب الحيض : 5 باب مباشرة الحائض 300، مسلم 293، ابوداود 268، ترمذي 132]
«لغوي توضيح :» «الْحَیْض» Flowing, the blood of menstruation. The meaning is the blood which is discharged from a woman's womb after puberty during specific days.
«يُبَاشِرُ» Bringing bodies together (other than intercourse).
«فَوْر» Beginning.
«يَمْلِكُ» Is in control, can restrain.
«اِرْبَهُ» Over his own desire and lust.
The intent of Sayyidah Aisha radi Allahu anha was that only such a man is permitted to have physical intimacy (such as bringing bodies together, etc.) with his menstruating wife who is able to control his own lust and can refrain from falling into the forbidden (i.e., engaging in intercourse during the days of menstruation).

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
I'rab:
If the hamzah has a kasrah and the ra is sukun, the meaning will be "sexual organ"; and if both the hamzah and the ra have a fathah, the meaning will be "desire" and "lust."
(2)
Fawrun:
Surge and abundance,
when blood is flowing excessively.

273. Commentary:
It is understood that newlyweds and young couples must exercise extreme caution on specific days; however, when age advances and passions become settled, then the aforementioned act is permissible.

373. Commentary: See Hadith: 286 and its benefits and issues.

286. Commentary: The body of a menstruating woman is not outwardly impure; therefore, if the naked body of the husband comes into contact with her naked body, there is no harm in it. However, it is necessary that there be a cloth over the area from the navel to the knees, or at the very least over the private parts and similar areas, so that both intercourse and contact with menstrual blood are avoided.

Commentary:
(1)
Sexual intercourse with a woman during her menstrual period is forbidden.

(2)
Apart from intercourse, being close to the woman, lying with her, embracing her, and showing affection—all of these are permissible.

(3)
It is better to abstain even from this permissible closeness during these days, lest the man may not be able to control his desire and ends up having intercourse.

(4)
For a person whose passions are no longer as intense as they generally are in youth, it is permissible for him to engage in other preliminaries besides intercourse; however, caution is better.

(5)
The self-control of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is a perfect example: despite having immense strength, he maintained the best control over himself.

(6)
The meaning of "mubasharah" (مباشرت) is both intercourse (having conjugal relations) and merely kissing and caressing the wife; here, this word is used in the latter sense.