Ahadith

ʿĀʾishah (r.a) narrated that a woman asked the Prophet (sa) about bathing after menstruation. In response, he advised her how she should bathe. He said: ‘Take a piece of cotton fragranced with musk and use it to cleanse yourself.’ She inquired: ‘How should I cleanse myself?’ He reiterated: ‘Cleanse yourself with it.’ She asked [again]: ‘How?’ He said: ‘Glory be to Allāh (Subḥānallāh), cleanse yourself!’ [ʿĀʾishah (r.a) added:] ‘I drew her towards myself and advised: “Wipe over the area where the traces of blood had been [i.e. the private area]”.’

ʿĀʾishah (r.a) narrated that a woman of the Anṣār asked the Prophet (sa): ‘How should I bathe after menstruation?’ He replied: ‘Take a piece of cotton fragranced with musk and clean [the area with it] three times.’ At this, the Prophet (sa) became shy and turned his face away – or he said: ‘Purify yourself with it’ – then I [ʿĀʾishah (r.a)] pulled her close and explained to her what the Prophet (sa) meant.

ʿĀʾishah (r.a) narrated: ‘I entered into the state of iḥrām with the Messenger of Allāh (sa) during the Farewell Pilgrimage (Ḥajjat al-Wadāʿ), and I was one of those who had intended to perform both the ʿUmrah and the Ḥajj and was not taking any sacrificial animals with me.’ She [further] related that she realised that her menstrual period had begun, and when the night of ʿArafah arrived, she was still not clean. She said: ‘O Messenger of Allāh, this is the night of ʿArafah and I have entered into the state of iḥrām to perform the ʿUmrah.’ The Messenger of Allāh (sa) said to her: ‘Loosen the hair of your head, comb it and hold back from your ʿUmrah.’ ʿĀʾishah (r.a) continued: ‘I did so, and when I had completed the Ḥajj, he instructed ʿAbd al-Raḥmān (r.a) on the night of al-Ḥaṣbah [the night spent in al-Muḥaṣṣab, a place between Makkah and Miná], and he took me to perform the ʿUmrah from Tanʿīm in the place of my ʿUmrah [that I had missed], for which I had entered into the state of iḥrām.’

ʿĀʾishah (r.a) narrated: ‘We left at a time when the new moon of Dhū al-Ḥijjah was on the verge of appearing, and the Messenger of Allāh (sa) said: “Whoever wishes to enter into the state of iḥrām to perform the ʿUmrah should do so.” If I had not brought a sacrificial animal with me, I would have entered into the state of iḥrām to perform the ʿUmrah. At this, some of them entered into the state of iḥrām to perform the ʿUmrah and others the Ḥajj. I was among those who did so to perform the ʿUmrah. When the day of ʿArafah arrived, I was menstruating. I complained to the Prophet (sa) and he said: “Leave your ʿUmrah, untie your hair, comb it and enter into the state of iḥrām to perform the Ḥajj.” So I did accordingly. On the night of al-Ḥaṣbah, he sent my brother ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Abī Bakr (r.a) with me and I went to Tanʿīm and entered into the state of iḥrām to perform the ʿUmrah in place of the ʿUmrah [that I had missed].’ Hishām said: ‘And none of those acts included a sacrifice, fasting, or charity.’

Anas ibn Mālik (r.a) narrated from the Prophet (sa) that he said: ‘Verily Allāh, the Mighty and Glorious, has appointed an angel over the womb who says: “O my Lord! A drop of semen. O my Lord! A clot. O my Lord! A lump of flesh.” Then when Allāh wills to complete His creation, he [the angel] asks: “Is it a male or a female? Is it unfortunate or fortunate? What provisions will it receive, and what will be the duration of its life?” All this is written [whilst the child is still] in the womb of its mother.’

ʿĀʾishah (r.a) narrated: ‘We set off with the Prophet (sa) on the Farewell Pilgrimage (Ḥajjat al-Wadāʿ). Some of us entered into the state of iḥrām to perform the ʿUmrah and others the Ḥajj. When we arrived in Makkah, the Messenger of Allāh (sa) said: “Whoever has entered into the state of iḥrām to perform the ʿUmrah and does not have a sacrificial animal should leave it, and whoever has entered into the state of iḥrām to perform the ʿUmrah and has a sacrificial animal should not leave it until he has sacrificed his animal. Whoever has entered into the state of iḥrām to perform the Ḥajj should complete his Ḥajj”.’ She said: ‘My menstrual period began and continued until the day of ʿArafah. I had only entered into the state of iḥrām to perform the ʿUmrah, so the Prophet (sa) ordered me to untie my hair, comb it, enter into the state of iḥrām to perform the Ḥajj and leave the ʿUmrah. I thus did so and then completed my Ḥajj. Then he sent with me ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Abī Bakr (r.a) and instructed me to perform the ʿUmrah from Tanʿīm, in place of my ʿUmrah [that I had intended to perform].’

ʿĀʾishah (r.a) narrated that Fāṭimah bint Abī Ḥubaish (r.a) would experience istiḥāḍah, so she sought guidance from the Prophet (sa). He said: ‘This is bleeding from a blood vessel and not menstruation. When the menses begins, refrain from offering Prayer; and when it ends, wash yourself and offer Prayer.’

Muʿādhah narrated that a woman inquired of ʿĀʾishah (r.a): ‘When one of us becomes pure [after menstruation], should we compensate for [missed] Ṣalāh?’ She asked: ‘Are you a Ḥarūriyyah? We would experience menses while in the company of the Prophet (sa), and he did not instruct us to do so.’ Or, she said: ‘We would not do it.’

Umm Salamah (r.a) narrated: ‘My menstrual period began while I was with the Prophet (sa) under a sheet, so I slipped away and emerged from its cover. I took and donned my menstrual clothes. The Messenger of Allāh (sa) asked me: “Has your menses begun?” I replied: “Yes”. He called me [back] and took me with him under the sheet.’ She said that the Prophet (sa) would kiss her while fasting, and [she said]: ‘The Prophet (sa) and I would both bathe from the same vessel when in a state of major ritual impurity.’

Umm Salamah (r.a) narrated: ‘Once I was lying with the Prophet (sa) under a sheet and my menstrual period began, so I slipped away and retrieved my menstrual clothes. He asked: “Has your menstrual period begun?” I replied: “Yes”. He called me [back], and I lay with him under the sheet.’