Guidelines for Women During Menstruation
Menstruation is defined as blood that flows from the innermost part of a woman’s uterus during a specified time period. The minimum age for a girl to begin menstruating is nine lunar years, and there is no upper limit regarding the age at which she may continue to menstruate. Typically, the duration of menstruation ranges from six to seven days. Islam has instituted specific rulings for women during this period, which include prohibitions on performing certain activities. These restrictions encompass the act of praying, fasting, reading the Quran, touching or carrying the Mus’haf (the physical Quran), performing Tawaf (circumambulating the Kaaba), entering the mosque, and engaging in sexual relations or any intimate contact from the navel to the knee without a barrier.
A woman is not permitted to engage in the aforementioned activities until she is purified and has performed the ritual ablution, with the exception of fasting. If she becomes pure before dawn and has not yet performed the ablution, she is still required to fast. Nevertheless, there are specific obligations during menstruation that a woman must fulfill. These include making up the days she missed during Ramadan. As for prayer, if she becomes pure before the time for a specific prayer expires, she is required to make up that prayer.
Dress Code for Women
Islam has established particular criteria regarding women’s attire in front of non-mahram men. These criteria include:
- The clothing must adequately cover the entire body.
- The attire should be loose-fitting to avoid being form-fitting or transparent.
- Women should not mimic men’s clothing, as narrated by Abdullah ibn Abbas, who reported that the Prophet Muhammad stated: “May Allah curse those men who imitate women and those women who imitate men.”
- The clothing should not contradict Islamic guidelines on apparel.
Working Conditions for Women
Ideally, a woman should remain at home rather than seek employment, as indicated by the Quranic verse: “And remain in your homes.” However, if she must work, she needs to adhere to the following conditions:
- She should wear proper Islamic attire and avoid excessive adornment.
- She should embody piety to prevent herself from being a source of temptation or becoming tempted.
- She should protect her dignity and modesty by refraining from engaging in casual conversation with men.
- Her employment should comply with Islamic principles, avoiding jobs in interest-based banks or similar establishments.
- She should not leave the house without the permission of her husband, father, or a male guardian.