Mishkat al-Masabih

Anas said that among the Jews, when a woman menstruated, they did not eat with her, and they did not live with such in their houses, so the Prophet's companions questioned him, and God revealed, "And they ask you about menstruation..." God’s messenger then said, “Do everything except sexual intercourse.” The Jews heard of that and said, “This man does not want to leave anything we do without opposing us in it.” Usaid b. Hudair and ‘Abbad b. Bishr came and said, ‘Messenger of God, the Jews are saying such and such. Shall we not then live with them?”* The face of God’s messenger underwent such a change that we thought he was angry with them; but when they went out they were met by a gift of milk which was being brought to the Prophet, and he sent after them and gave them a drink, whereby they knew that he was not angry with them. *i.e. with our wives. The word used in this tradition ordinarily refers to sexual intercourse, but it would seem that here and in the first sentence it rather expresses the idea being beside their wives during their periods. Muslim transmitted it.

‘A'isha said, “The Prophet and I used to wash from one vessel when we were both sexually defiled. When I was menstruating he would order me to wrap myself up and would embrace me. And when he was observing prayer in seclusion, he would put out his head for me and I would wash it when I was menstruating. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

She also said, “I would drink when I was menstruating, then hand it to the Prophet, and he would put his mouth where mine had been and drink; and I would eat flesh from a bone when I was menstruating, then hand it to the Prophet, and he would put his mouth where mine had been.” Muslim transmitted it.

She also said, “The Prophet would recline on my lap when I was menstruating, then recite the Qur'an.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

The Prophet said to me, “Get me the mat from the mosque,” and when I replied that I was menstruating, he said, “Your menstruation is not in your hand.” Muslim transmitted it.

Maimuna said, “God’s messenger used to pray in a woollen garment which was partly over him and partly over me while I was mentruat- ing.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

“If anyone has intercourse with a woman who is menstruating, or uses preposterous venery with a woman1, or visits a kahin, he has disbelieved in what has been sent down to Muhammad.” Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it. In the version of the last two he declared him to be right in saying that he has disbelieved. Tirmidhi said, “We know this tradition only from Hakim al-Athram from Abu Tamima from Abu Huraira.” 1: i.e. enters her from her behind.

Mu'adh b. Jabal said that he asked God’s messenger what was lawful for him in his wife when she was menstruating, and he replied, “What is above the waist-wrapper, but to abstain from that is better.” Razin transmitted it and Muhyi as-Sunna said that its insad is not strong.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s messenger as saying, “When a man has intercourse with his wife while she is menstruating, he must give half a dinar in alms.’ Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, Darimi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

He also reported that the Prophet said, “When there is red blood he must give a dinar and when there is yellow blood half a dinar.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Zaid b. Aslam said that a man asked God’s messenger what was lawful for him in his wife when she was menstruating, and he replied, “She should tie her waist-wrapper on her, then you can do what you like above it.” Malik and Darimi transmitted it in mursal form.

‘A'isha said, “When I menstruated I left the bed and lay on the reed-mat and did not approach or come near God’s messenger till I was purified.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘A'isha told of Fatima daughter of Abu Hubaish coming to the Prophet and saying, “I am a woman whose blood keeps flowing, and I am never purified; Shall I therefore abandon prayer?” He replied, “No that is only a vein and is not menstruation; so when your menstrua­ tion comes on abandon prayer, and when it ends wash the blood from yourself and then pray.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Urwa b. az-Zubair reported from Fatima daughter of Abu Hubaish that her blood kept flowing, so the Prophet said to her, “When the blood of the menses comes it is black blood which can be recognised, so when that comes refrain from prayer; but when a different type comes perform ablution any pray, for it is due only to a vein.” Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Umm Salama said that in the time of God’s messenger there was a woman who had an issue of blood, so Umm Salama asked the Prophet to give a decision about her. He said, “She should consider the number of nights and days during which she used to menstruate each month before she was afflicted with this trouble and abandon prayer during that period each month; then when she finishes that she should wash, tie a cloth over her private parts and pray.” Malik, Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it, and Nasa’i transmitted something to the same effect;

‘Adi b. Thabit quoted his father as saying that his grandfather (‘Adi's grandfather’s name is given as Dinar by Yahya b. Ma'in) reported the Prophet as saying regarding a woman who has a prolonged flow of blood that she should abandon prayer during as many days as she used to have her courses, then wash, perform ablution for every prayer, fast and pray. Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Hamna daughter of Jahsh said that her menstruation was great in quantity and severe, so she went to the Prophet for a decision and told him. She found him in the house of her sister Zainab daughter of Jahsh and said, “Messenger of God, I menstruate to a great extent, and it is severe, so what command do you give me about it? It has prevented me from praying and fasting.” He said, “I suggest that you use cotton, for it removes the blood.” She replied, “It is too copious for that.” He said, “Then stop it with a tight rag.” She replied, “It is too copious for that.” He said, “Then take a cloth.” She replied, “It is too copious for that, for my blood keeps flowing.” So the Prophet said, “I shall give you two commands; whichever of them you follow, it will make the other unnecessary, but you will know best whether you are strong enough to follow both of them This is a stroke of the devil, so observe your menses for six or seven days, God alone knowing which it should be, then wash, and when you see that you are purified and quite clean pray during twenty-three or twenty-four days and nights and fast, for that will be enough for you, and do so every month, just as women menstruate and are purified at the time of their menstruation and their purification. But if you are strong enough to delay the noon prayer and advance the afternoon prayer, then wash and combine the noon and the afternoon prayer; to delay the sunset prayer and advance the night prayer, then wash and combine the two prayers, do so; and to wash at drawn, do so; and fast if you are able.” God’s messenger said, “This is the one which is more attractive to me.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Asma’ daughter of ‘Umais said she told God’s messenger that Fatima daughter of Abu Hubaish had had a flow of blood for a certain period and had not prayed. God’s messenger said, “Glory be to God! This comes from the devil. She should sit in a tub, and when she sees yellowness appearing on the top of the water she should wash once for the noon and afternoon prayer, once for the sunset and night prayer, once for the dawn prayer, and in between times she should perform ablution.” Abu Dawud transmitted it, saying Mujahid transmitted from Ibn ‘Abbas that when the washing became too much for her be ordered her to combine the two prayers.