Reciting and touching Quran During Menses

Question

As-salaamu alaykum What is the stance of the Muslim Judicial Council regarding the carrying, touching and reciting of the Quran for female students who are memorizing the Holy Quran and experiences there monthly menstrual cycle? Are there any additional guidelines to female teachers in this regard? Jazakallah

السلام ورحمة الله وبركاته

 

  1. The Mālikī madhhab permits both the recitation and touching of the Qurʾān for female students and teachers during menses, as borne out by the following excerpt from Mukhtaṣar Khalīl, together with Dardīr’s commentary and Dusūqī’s scholia:

قال خليل: ومس مصحف لا قراءة فقال الدردير شارحا: (و) منع (مس مصحف، لا) يمنع (قراءة) حال نزوله ولو متلبسة بجنابة قبله، وكذا بعد انقطاعه، إلا أن تكون متلبسة بجنابة قبله فلا يجوز، نظرا للجنابة مع القدرة عل رفعها
وفي حاشية الدسوقي ١٧٤/١

(قوله: ومس مصحف)

أي ما لم تكن معلمة أو متعلمة، وإلا جاز مسها له

   (قوله: وكذا بعد انقطاعه)

أي وكذا لا تمنع القراءة بعد انقطاعه

(قوله: إلا أن تكون متلبسة بجنابة قبله فلا يجوز)

حاصل كلامه أن المرأة إذا انقطع حيضها جاز ها القراءة إن لم تكن جنبا قبل الحيض. فإن كانت جنبا قبله فلا يجوز ها القراءة. وقد تبع الشارح في ذلك عبق [أي عبد الباقي الزرقاني] وجعله المذهب، وهو ضعيف. والمعتمد ما قاله عبد الحق، وهو أن الحائض إذا انقطع حيضها لا تقرأ حتى تغتسل، جنبا كانت أو لا، إلا أن تخاف النسيان؛ كما أن المعتمد أنه يجوز لها القراءة حال استرسال الدم عليها، كانت جنبا أم لا، خافت النسيان أم لا، كما صدر به ابن رشد في المقدمات وصوبه، واقتصر عليه [خليل] في التوضيح، وابن فرحون وغير واحد. قال ح [أي الحطاب]: وهو الظاهر. وفيه أيضا عن ابن عرفة: قال الباجي: قال أصحابنا: تقرأ الحائض ولو بعد طهرها قبل غسلها. وظاهره: كانت متلبسة بجنابة قبله أم لا. [انظر بن [أي البناني في حاشيته على عبد الباقي الزرقاني.

2. It is acceptable to adopt the position of a different madhhab, especially where need exists. However, in adopting the position of a different madhhab, due care should be given to ascertaining the finer consequential details of that madhhab’s position, and adhering thereto.

ففي الفوائد المكية للسيد علوي السقاف (صــ 59 مجموعة سبع رسائل له، المطبوعة بمطبعة الهداية بسرابايا، إندونيسيا): ولا بأس بتقليد غير من التزم مذهبه في أفراد المسائل، سواء كان تقليده لأحد الأئمة الأربعة أو لغيرهم ممن حُفظ مذهبه في تلك المسألة ودُوّن حتى عرفت شروطه وسار معتبراته.

3. A number of such details are raised in the citation from Dusūqī above:

3.1. Touching the muṣḥaf during ḥayḍ is restricted to teachers and students only.
3.2. With regard to reciting the Qurʿān, two situations are possible:
3.2.1. During the flow of blood: Permission to recite Qurʾān here applies to all females, not only students and teachers. It is also not subject to the fear of forgetting what has been memorized.

3.2.2. Once the flow of blood has ceased: Here the general rule applicable to all women is that the Qurʾān may only be recited once ghusl has been made. An exception is made for students and ḥafiẓāt who fear that they might forget.

4. To the above must be added the following consideration which is not raised at this place in
Dusūqī’s text: There are two situations in which the flow of blood may cease:

4.1. Final cessation: this happens upon the termination of ḥayḍ for a particular monthly cycle. It is followed by the onset of ṭuhr, the clean part of the menstrual cycle.
4.2. Intermittent cessation: this happens when the flow of blood is temporarily interrupted, and later resumes, within the same cycle. This is called naqāʾ.

5. The rule of the Mālikī madhhab stated in 3.2.2 above—that the Qurʾān may only be recited once ghusl has been made—applies to both instances of cessation, since the Mālikī madhhab considers naqāʾ as a valid ṭuhr.
6. An exception from this rule is made for students and ḥāfiẓāt who fear that they might forget.
7. In summary—

7.1. during menstruation only students and teachers may touch the muṣḥaf;
7.2. during the flow of blood, all women may recite Qurʾān;
7.3. once the flow has stopped, whether temporarily and intermittently (naqāʾ) or at the end of ḥayḍ, the only women allowed to recite Qurʾān without having to first take a ghusl are students and ḥāfiẓāt who fear that they might forget. All others would first have to take ghusl.

والله تعالى أعلم
And Allah knows best.

(Issued: April 2019)

MJC (SA)

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