How can I avoid feeling guilty and depressed when I can’t pray during my monthly periods?

Wa ‘Alaykumussalaam wa Rahmatullaahi wa Barakaatuh.

MashaAllaah. May Allaah bless you with steadfastness in whatever good you are doing, and may Allaah bless you with the ability to progress farther. Ameen.

* It is related in a Hadeeth that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) has said, “During Haidh (menses), if a woman reads the following (or any other istighfaar) seventy times at the time of every Salaah, she will get the reward of reading one thousand Rakaats of Salaah, seventy of her sins will be forgiven, her status is raised in the eyes of Allaah Ta’aala; and for every letter of Istighfaar she receives a noor (light); and for every vein in her body, the reward of one Haj and Umrah is written:

سبحنك استغفر الله الذي لا اله الا هو الحي القيوم

Subhaanaka Astaghfirullaah-al-lathee laa ilaaha illa huw-al-Hayy ul-Qayoom

* During monthly menses it is Mustahab (desirable) for a woman to perform Wudhu (ablution) at the time of every Salaah and to sit in the place where she normally performs Salaah, and occupy herself in some form of Zikr, for the time that it normally takes her to complete Salaah. InshaAllaah, this will ensure that the habit of performing Salaah remains.

* It should be remembered that in this state of impurity she should try to remain clean and occupy herself with Zikr, Duaas, Salawaat (Durood Shareef), Istighfaar, etc. In this way she will be saved from Shaytaan who is very active during this period. Many booklets are available with Duaas and Wazaaif that women can pray during their menses. One can also pray Hizbul-A’zham or Munaajaat-e-Maqbool, Salaat and Salaam, 40 Rabbanaas etc.

And Allaah knows best.

Wassalaam.

————————————–
A. Z. Pandor