Can I Visit the Rawda While Menstruating?
Answered by Ustadh Sufyan Qufi
Question
Can I enter the Haram Nabawi and visit Rawda Sharifa if I have my period?
Answer
In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
I pray this finds you in the best of states.
Tremendous rewards await those who have the chance to enter the Rawda al-Sharif, and the mere intention to do so is rewarded.
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) has said: “The one who intended to perform a good action and failed to do so, Allah will count this intention as a full good action.” [Bukhari]
Nonetheless, it would be impermissible for you to enter the Rawda al-Sharif because this area is part of the Mosque of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), and it is forbidden for a menstruating woman to enter a mosque. [Shurunbulali, Nur al-Idah; Mawsuli, al-Ikhtyar]
The Rawda is inside the Messenger of Allah’s mosque, between the grave of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) and his pulpit (minbar). This is based on the following hadith:
“Between my house and my pulpit is one of the gardens of Paradise.” [Bukhari]
His grave is in the house of ‘Aisha (Allah be pleased with her).
[Mawsuli, Ikhtyar]
It is not permissible for a menstruating woman to enter a mosque because the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“I don’t allow the mosque to a person in a state of major ritual impurity (junub) or to a menstruating woman.” [Ibn Maja]
[Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah]
A Medical Solution
One can take medical means to delay the period. This is allowed.
Please see: How Can I Complete My Hajj During My Menstruation?
Even if you are unable to enter the Mosque you can still “visit” the Rawda from outside while getting the full reward.
When the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) was returning from the campaign of Tabuk, and had drawn close to Madina, he said: “In Madina, there are people who, as you traveled and crossed valleys, were with you.” They said: “O Messenger of Allah, even though they are in Madina?” He said: “Even though they were in Madina. They were kept behind by (legitimate) excuses.”
[Ibn Maja]
And Allah knows best.
Wassalam
[Ustadh] Sufyan Qufi
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadh Sufyan Qufi is an advanced seeker of knowledge, originally from Algeria, who grew up in France. He began searching far and wide for answers to the fundamental questions of life and was disappointed at the answers he found. Then he connected with various traditional teachers and gradually connected with SeekersGuidance. He embarked on his journey of learning through the various teachers at SeekersGuidance, including his mentor Shaykh Faraz Rabbani. He studied numerous texts in Islamic Law, Theology, Hadith, and other areas with Shaykh Faraz Rabbani and other teachers, including Shaykh Abdurrahman al-Sha‘ar, Shaykh Ali Hani, and others. He is an active instructor at SeekersGuidance and answers questions through the SeekersGuidance Answers Service.
