Recitation of the Qur’an During Menstruation: Permissible or Prohibited?

Source: Fatāwā ʿUlamāʾ-e-Ḥadīth – Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Volume 1

❖ The Question​

“Can a woman recite the Qur’an while she is menstruating?”

❖ Scholarly Disagreement​

There is a well-known difference of opinion among scholars on this issue.

❖ ➊ Majority Opinion: Prohibition​

The majority of jurists (jumhūr fuqahāʾ) hold the view that reciting the Qur’an during menstruation is not permissible, although general adhkār and duʿās that do not constitute recitation—such as “Bismillāh,” “Innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rājiʿūn,” or “Rabbana ātinā fī al-dunyā ḥasanah…”—are allowed.

◉ Evidences for Prohibition​

• Ḥadīth of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib رضي الله عنه:

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would teach them the Qur’an and nothing prevented him from reciting it except for janābah.”
(Sunan Abū Dāwūd, al-Tirmidhī ḥadīth 146 – Graded ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ)

• Ḥadīth of Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما:

“Neither a menstruating woman nor a person in janābah should recite anything from the Qur’an.”
(Sunan al-Tirmidhī 131 – ḍaʿīf due to weak narrator transmission)

Note: This ḥadīth is considered weak by Ibn Taymiyyah and others due to issues with the narrator Ismāʿīl ibn ʿAyyāsh when narrating from Ḥijāzī scholars.

❖ ➋ Permissibility According to Some Scholars​

Some scholars, including Imām Mālik and a narration from Imām Aḥmad, supported by Ibn Taymiyyah and Imām al-Shawkānī, consider it permissible for a menstruating woman to recite the Qur’an.

◉ Their Arguments​

• Absence of Prohibition in Authentic Texts:
  Ibn Taymiyyah:
  
  “There is no clear, authentic text prohibiting menstruating women from reciting the Qur’an.”
  
  
• Practice During the Prophet’s Time ﷺ:
  Menstruation existed among women during the time of the Prophet ﷺ, yet no explicit instruction was reported forbidding recitation.
• Virtue of Recitation:
  Allah has praised the reciters of the Qur’an and promised great rewards. Denying a menstruating woman this virtue lacks clear basis.
• Invalid Comparison with Janābah:
  A junub person can quickly remove the barrier through ghusl, while a menstruating woman cannot. Moreover, the duration of menstruation is longer.
• Fear of Forgetting the Qur’an:
  Preventing a woman from reciting could lead to her forgetting verses, especially if she is a student or memorizer of the Qur’an.

❖ A Balanced Precaution​

If a woman follows the opinion that allows recitation but still chooses to be cautious, she may recite only when there is fear of forgetting, which is considered a balanced and moderate approach.

❖ Touching the Qur’an and Visual Recitation​

This ruling pertains primarily to verbal recitation.

◉ Ruling on Physically Touching the Qur’an​

Touching the muṣḥaf directly is prohibited without wudū, based on:

• “Lā yamassuhu illā al-muṭahharūn” (Surah al-Wāqiʿah)
• Ḥadīth from the Prophet ﷺ:
  
  “None should touch the Qur’an except one who is pure.”
  (Muwaṭṭāʾ Mālik, Sunan al-Nasāʾī, Ibn Ḥibbān – Graded authentic by Ibn Ḥajar and others)
  

◉ Methods for Reading Without Touch​

A menstruating woman may:

• Use gloves or a cloth barrier to hold the muṣḥaf
• Use a pen or pointer to turn the pages
• Avoid touching the text directly, even the cover is part of the muṣḥaf
  

❖ Conclusion​

There are two valid scholarly views:

✔ Prohibition – Based on weak ḥadīths but supported by the majority as a precaution
✔ Permissibility – Backed by strong reasoning and major scholars like Ibn Taymiyyah and Mālik

A woman who recites the Qur’an during menstruation out of need or fear of forgetting, especially without touching the text directly, is upon a valid and supported opinion in Islam.