What should a woman do in Ihram if she starts her menses

CategoriesHajj & Umrah & Qurbani [233]

Fatwa ID: 01734

Answered by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Question:

If my wife’s menses start after entering Ihram, what are the do\'s and don\'ts. Also, is there a special dua before starting safa / marwah, and is idhtibaa only done during the tawaaf for umrah.

 Answer:

Bismillah

The conditions of Ihram for women are almost the same as for men. The only difference is that women can wear their normal sewn clothing’s whereas for men it is impermissible. Also men will leave their hair uncovered whereas for women it is obligatory for them to cover it. (Muallimul Hujjaj p.110)

Ladies, too, are to take bath, perform ablution, offer two rakaat optional prayer, declare intent (Niyah) and recite Talbiyah. The other restrictions too are almost identical.

  1. If a woman passing through her menstruation cycle, it is still considered sunnah to perform a ghusl or the very least wudhu but should not offer the optional prayer. She should declare the intent (Niyah) of Hajj and recite the Talbiyah. (Muallimul Hujjaj p.111)

  2. A woman in her menses will be allowed to do all the actions of Hajj such as going to Arafah, Mina and Muzdalifah etc… besides Tawaf Ziyarah, which is compulsory for the Hajj, without which the hajj would not be valid. (Muallimul Hujjaj p.111)

  3. A woman who has completed all the rites of Hajj except the farewell Tawaf (Tawaf Wida) but she cannot wait due to departure times having arrived, and starts menstruating she is excused of this Farewell Tawaf. However, if a woman left Makkah in a state of menstruation foregoing the Farewell Tawaf but before crossing the boundary limits of Makkah menstruation stopped, she is bound to return back and perform Farewell Tawaf Wida. Yet if she has crossed the boundaries of Makkah, after which she came out of the unclean state, she need not to return back. If she returned to Mak`kah without crossing the limits of Meeqat, she will be under the obligation to perform Tawaf Wida. (Muallimul Hujjaj p.191)

Finally, with regards to your question on Idhtibaa, where someone in the state of Ihraam (either for Hajj or 'Umrah) puts the right side of his upper garment under his armpit and put the left side over his shoulder, thus showing his right shoulder, it is sunnah for all seven rounds for those tawafs where one will be performing saee afterwards.

Only Allah Knows Best

Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham.

About the author