Question: I am upset that my menstruation started during my umrah. Any advice?
Answer:
Bismi Llahir Rahmanir Rahim
Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatuLlahi wa barakatuhu
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Amazing is the affair of the believer! Verily all his affairs are good for him, and this is not the case with anyone except the believer. When a pleasing matter befalls him, he is grateful, and that is good for him. And when harm befalls him, he is patient, and that is good for him.” (Muslim)
Indeed the Prophet’s ﷺ words are filled with tremendous wisdom. With every event that occurs in our lives, there is a gift of goodness found within it. In certain situations, we may have to exert ourselves more in order to appreciate what happens to us, especially when things take an unexpected turn from how we planned it to be for our lives.
A true Muslim whole-heartedly believes that Allah Mighty and Majestic is the best of planners and that He is the all-Wise. If Allah Most High willed for your menstruation to occur during your umrah trip, then rest assured that there is good in this matter for you inshaAllah.
Some sisters become dismayed with the onset of their menstruation during their trip. They feel like they are missing out on the action and wish that the state of their affair was different. In order to avoid this circumstance, we advise sisters to do whatever it takes to stop their menstruation from occurring during their trip – such as by taking medication. It is only natural that one would want to spend as much time as possible in the mosques in Makkah and Madina.
However, if one’s menstruation still comes, despite one taking the means to prevent it, then it is incumbent to embrace an attitude of patience with Allah’s divine order and practice gratitude for the goodness in one’s affair. Do not forget that our own mother Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) went through the same predicament.
In a narration, the Mother of the Believers Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) said, “We left with the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) for hajj. When we were in Sarif (a place close to Makkah) I began to menstruate. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) approached me and I was crying. He said, ‘Did you get your period?’ I said, ‘Yes’ He said, ‘Verily this is a matter Allah has written upon the girls of Prophet Adam (Allah bless him). Do all the actions of the pilgrimage except the tawaf.’ ” (Bukhari)
From this event, we learn that Allah Most High has commanded menstruating women to refrain from certain forms of worship, even during hajj and umrah. Thus, if a menstruating woman fulfills this command with the intention to submit to Allah’s order, she is actually worshiping Allah the entire time that she refrains from engaging in these works.
Furthermore, one must bear in mind that there are a select amount of acts of worship that become impermissible to engage in while in a state of menstruation, and many more that remain permissible. Any act of good carried out in these blessed cities will be multiplied inshaAllah. So, exert yourself to enter whichever door of worship that Allah opens for you.
The Prophet ﷺ taught us to not deem any act insignificant. It could be that the act which you deem to be weighty is really minimal in the eyes of Allah Most High, and the act which you deem less is what weighs heavily on the scale pan with Your Creator. Choosing to maintain an optimistic outlook and assigning one’s affair to Allah is definitely a huge act of worship that will not go unaccounted for inshaAllah.
Likewise, using one’s time to make du’a in these areas is essential and should not be overlooked. The Prophet ﷺ said the very essence of worship is du’a. Allah says in the Quran, “And when My servants question thee concerning Me, then surely I am nigh. I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he crieth unto Me. So let them hear My call and let them trust in Me, in order that they may be led aright.” [al-Baqara: 186]
May Allah Mighty and Majestic answer all of our prayers and accept all of our acts of worship inshaAllah.
Common Questions For Menstruating Women On Umrah
- What acts of worship are impermissible and permissible during a state of menstruation?
- What umrah rites can I do and not do while in a state of menses?
- What medicine do I take to block my menstrual blood? What do I do if I see breakthrough bleeding?
Check out our FREE Umrah course for more details about the rulings related to umrah, as well as practical advice.
Read our Step-By-Step Umrah Guide.
Jazak Allah khayran
Naielah Ackbarali