سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 222
وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلْمَحِيضِ ۖ قُلْ هُوَ أَذًى فَٱعْتَزِلُوا۟ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فِى ٱلْمَحِيضِ ۖ وَلَا تَقْرَبُوهُنَّ حَتَّىٰ يَطْهُرْنَ ۖ فَإِذَا تَطَهَّرْنَ فَأْتُوهُنَّ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَمَرَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلتَّوَّٰبِينَ وَيُحِبُّ ٱلْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ ﴿222﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
They ask you concerning menstruation. Say: that is an Adha (a harmful thing for a husband to have a sexual intercourse with his wife while she is having her menses), therefore keep away from women during menses and go not unto them till they are purified (from menses and have taken a bath). And when they have purified themselves, then go in unto them as Allâh has ordained for you (go in unto them in any manner as long as it is in their vagina). Truly, Allâh loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves (by taking a bath and cleaning and washing thoroughly their private parts, bodies, for their prayers).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ
wayasalūnaka
And they ask you
عَنِ
ʿani
about
ٱلْمَحِيضِ ۖ
l-maḥīḍi
[the] menstruation
قُلْ
qul
Say
هُوَ
huwa
It
أَذًۭى
adhan
(is) a hurt
فَٱعْتَزِلُوا۟
fa-iʿ'tazilū
so keep away (from)
ٱلنِّسَآءَ
l-nisāa
[the] women
فِى
fī
during
ٱلْمَحِيضِ ۖ
l-maḥīḍi
(their) [the] menstruation
وَلَا
walā
And (do) not
تَقْرَبُوهُنَّ
taqrabūhunna
approach them
حَتَّىٰ
ḥattā
until
يَطْهُرْنَ ۖ
yaṭhur'na
they are cleansed
فَإِذَا
fa-idhā
Then when
تَطَهَّرْنَ
taṭahharna
they are purified
فَأْتُوهُنَّ
fatūhunna
then come to them
مِنْ
min
from
حَيْثُ
ḥaythu
where
أَمَرَكُمُ
amarakumu
has ordered you
ٱللَّهُ ۚ
l-lahu
Allah
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
يُحِبُّ
yuḥibbu
loves
ٱلتَّوَّٰبِينَ
l-tawābīna
those who turn in repentance
وَيُحِبُّ
wayuḥibbu
and loves
ٱلْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ
l-mutaṭahirīna
those who purify themselves
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
222. And they ask you about menstruation. Say, "It is a state of impurity [295], so keep away from women [296] during menstruation, and do not approach them until they are purified. But when they have purified themselves, then go to them as Allah has commanded you [297]." Indeed, Allah loves those who turn to Him in repentance and those who purify themselves.
[295] The meaning of ﴿اذي﴾ is also affliction, illness, and impurity. Thus, from a medical perspective, during menstruation, a woman is in such a state that she is closer to illness than to health. The duration of menstruation varies according to each woman's body and temperament, which is generally at least three days and at most up to ten days, and every woman knows her own habit (duration of menstruation).
[296] "Keep away" and "do not approach"—both refer to the prohibition of intercourse. Both the Jews and Christians were guilty of excess and negligence in this matter. The Jews would keep such women in a separate house during menstruation and would not even eat food cooked by their hands, while the Christians would not even refrain from intercourse during menstruation. Thus, when the Muslims asked you about this, Allah Almighty revealed this verse. According to this verse, husband and wife can live together, eat together, and even the husband can kiss his wife, embrace her, and cling to her (and this is the literal meaning of "mubasharat"), and in the Quran, where at another place ﴿باشروهن﴾ is used in the meaning of intercourse, it is in a figurative sense, not literal. Only intercourse is not allowed. The acts that a woman cannot perform during menstruation are as follows:
Restrictions During Menstruation:
1. She cannot perform prayer, and during menstruation, prayer is excused for her; she is not required to make up for them.
2. She also cannot fast. But fasting is not excused; rather, she is required to make up for them later.
3. Except for the circumambulation (tawaf) of the Ka'bah, she can perform all other rites of Hajj, but for the obligatory tawaf of the Ka'bah, she must wait until she becomes pure.
4. She cannot enter the Ka'bah or any mosque.
5. She cannot touch the Quran. However, according to most scholars, she is permitted to recite the Noble Quran verbally.
6. Istihada (irregular bleeding) is completely different from menstruation. Istihada is an illness, whereas menstruation is not an illness but a part of a woman's natural habit. Therefore, in istihada, all the restrictions that apply during menstruation are lifted, and even intercourse is permitted.
[297] Here, "command" does not refer to any such legal ruling whose fulfillment is obligatory, but rather to that natural law which has been instilled in the nature of every living being and which every soul naturally knows. If one acts contrary to it, i.e., has intercourse in the anus, then he will be guilty. As Allah says:
﴿فَمَنِ ابْتَغيٰ وَرَاءَ ذٰلِكَ فَاُولٰيِٕكَ هُمُ الْعٰدُوْنَ ﴾ [المؤمنون: 7]
[295] The meaning of ﴿اذي﴾ is also affliction, illness, and impurity. Thus, from a medical perspective, during menstruation, a woman is in such a state that she is closer to illness than to health. The duration of menstruation varies according to each woman's body and temperament, which is generally at least three days and at most up to ten days, and every woman knows her own habit (duration of menstruation).
[296] "Keep away" and "do not approach"—both refer to the prohibition of intercourse. Both the Jews and Christians were guilty of excess and negligence in this matter. The Jews would keep such women in a separate house during menstruation and would not even eat food cooked by their hands, while the Christians would not even refrain from intercourse during menstruation. Thus, when the Muslims asked you about this, Allah Almighty revealed this verse. According to this verse, husband and wife can live together, eat together, and even the husband can kiss his wife, embrace her, and cling to her (and this is the literal meaning of "mubasharat"), and in the Quran, where at another place ﴿باشروهن﴾ is used in the meaning of intercourse, it is in a figurative sense, not literal. Only intercourse is not allowed. The acts that a woman cannot perform during menstruation are as follows:
Restrictions During Menstruation:
1. She cannot perform prayer, and during menstruation, prayer is excused for her; she is not required to make up for them.
2. She also cannot fast. But fasting is not excused; rather, she is required to make up for them later.
3. Except for the circumambulation (tawaf) of the Ka'bah, she can perform all other rites of Hajj, but for the obligatory tawaf of the Ka'bah, she must wait until she becomes pure.
4. She cannot enter the Ka'bah or any mosque.
5. She cannot touch the Quran. However, according to most scholars, she is permitted to recite the Noble Quran verbally.
6. Istihada (irregular bleeding) is completely different from menstruation. Istihada is an illness, whereas menstruation is not an illness but a part of a woman's natural habit. Therefore, in istihada, all the restrictions that apply during menstruation are lifted, and even intercourse is permitted.
[297] Here, "command" does not refer to any such legal ruling whose fulfillment is obligatory, but rather to that natural law which has been instilled in the nature of every living being and which every soul naturally knows. If one acts contrary to it, i.e., has intercourse in the anus, then he will be guilty. As Allah says:
﴿فَمَنِ ابْتَغيٰ وَرَاءَ ذٰلِكَ فَاُولٰيِٕكَ هُمُ الْعٰدُوْنَ ﴾ [المؤمنون: 7]
