Shari‘ah Ruling on a Woman Performing ʿUmrah in the State of Menstruation
Source: Fatāwā Arkan-e-Islam
A woman assumed Ihrām with her husband while she was menstruating. After becoming pure, she performed ʿUmrah without a maḥram, and then experienced bleeding again. What is the Shari‘ah ruling in such a situation?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ‘alā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
According to the question, it appears that the woman travelled to Makkah with her maḥram (husband). Upon reaching the Miqāt, she was in a state of menstruation and assumed Ihrām in that condition. In this case, her Ihrām is completely valid.
This is supported by the incident of Asma’ bint ʿUmays (رضي الله عنها), who said to the Prophet ﷺ while he was staying at Dhū al-Ḥulayfah:
“O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! My menstruation has begun.”
The Prophet ﷺ said:
« اِغْتَسِلِی وَاسْتَثْفِرِی بِثَوْبٍ، وَاَحْرِمِی »
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Ḥajj, Bāb Ḥijjat al-Nabiyy ﷺ, Ḥadīth: 1218)
“Take a bath, wrap yourself with a cloth (to absorb the blood), and assume Ihrām.”
This ḥadīth clearly establishes that a menstruating woman is allowed to assume Ihrām.
After reaching Makkah and becoming pure from menstruation, the woman performed ʿUmrah without her maḥram being present at the time.
Since she was already within the Ḥaram (the sacred area of Makkah), and the ʿUmrah rituals are all performed within Makkah, there is no harm in her performing ʿUmrah without a maḥram in this specific context.
After completing the ʿUmrah, the woman saw bleeding again. The ruling depends on the following:
➊ If she was certain of attaining purity (ṭahārah) before performing ʿUmrah — that is, she knew for sure that her menses had ended and she was completely pure — then her ʿUmrah is valid.
➋ However, if she was doubtful about whether she was truly pure or not, and she is unsure if she had fully attained ṭahārah, then her ʿUmrah will not be valid, and she must repeat the ʿUmrah.
To repeat the ʿUmrah, it is not necessary for the woman to go back to the Miqāt and assume a new Ihrām. Instead, the following sequence is sufficient:
◈ Repeat Ṭawāf
◈ Repeat Saʿī
◈ Trim the hair (Taqṣīr)
This completes the ʿUmrah once again.
ھٰذَا مَا عِندِي وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
Source: Fatāwā Arkan-e-Islam
❖ Question
A woman assumed Ihrām with her husband while she was menstruating. After becoming pure, she performed ʿUmrah without a maḥram, and then experienced bleeding again. What is the Shari‘ah ruling in such a situation?
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ‘alā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
According to the question, it appears that the woman travelled to Makkah with her maḥram (husband). Upon reaching the Miqāt, she was in a state of menstruation and assumed Ihrām in that condition. In this case, her Ihrām is completely valid.
✿ Evidence for Assuming Ihrām During Menstruation
This is supported by the incident of Asma’ bint ʿUmays (رضي الله عنها), who said to the Prophet ﷺ while he was staying at Dhū al-Ḥulayfah:
“O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! My menstruation has begun.”
The Prophet ﷺ said:
« اِغْتَسِلِی وَاسْتَثْفِرِی بِثَوْبٍ، وَاَحْرِمِی »
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Ḥajj, Bāb Ḥijjat al-Nabiyy ﷺ, Ḥadīth: 1218)
“Take a bath, wrap yourself with a cloth (to absorb the blood), and assume Ihrām.”
This ḥadīth clearly establishes that a menstruating woman is allowed to assume Ihrām.
❖ Performing ʿUmrah Without a Maḥram
After reaching Makkah and becoming pure from menstruation, the woman performed ʿUmrah without her maḥram being present at the time.
Since she was already within the Ḥaram (the sacred area of Makkah), and the ʿUmrah rituals are all performed within Makkah, there is no harm in her performing ʿUmrah without a maḥram in this specific context.
❖ Ruling on Seeing Blood Again
After completing the ʿUmrah, the woman saw bleeding again. The ruling depends on the following:
➊ If she was certain of attaining purity (ṭahārah) before performing ʿUmrah — that is, she knew for sure that her menses had ended and she was completely pure — then her ʿUmrah is valid.
➋ However, if she was doubtful about whether she was truly pure or not, and she is unsure if she had fully attained ṭahārah, then her ʿUmrah will not be valid, and she must repeat the ʿUmrah.
❖ How to Repeat the ʿUmrah
To repeat the ʿUmrah, it is not necessary for the woman to go back to the Miqāt and assume a new Ihrām. Instead, the following sequence is sufficient:
◈ Repeat Ṭawāf
◈ Repeat Saʿī
◈ Trim the hair (Taqṣīr)
This completes the ʿUmrah once again.
ھٰذَا مَا عِندِي وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
