Answered by Shaykh Amjad Rasheed
I would like further clarification regarding Shaykh Amjad’s (Allah preserve him) statement in a previous response where he said,
“Every form of sexual enjoyment is permissible between husband and wife except for (1) anal intercourse and (2) deriving pleasure from what is between the navel and knee of women in menstruation or post-natal bleeding.”
Question 1: Does the second point mean that a man is not allowed to have skin-to-skin contact with his wife between her navel and knees or that he is not allowed to touch her, even if through a barrier?
Question 2: What is meant by “deriving pleasure”? May Allah bless you.
1. It is permissible for a man to touch his wife who is in a state of menstruation or post-natal bleeding between her navel and knees through a barrier [m: such as clothing], even if with desire. It is also permissible for him to look at what is between her navel and knees with desire without a barrier. This is because what is forbidden is skin-to-skin contact (Ar. mubashara), irrespective of the presence or absence of desire. This is the position of the [m: Shafi’i] school. Imam Nawawi, however, [h: in his personal position] preferred to elaborate further regarding skin-to-skin contact by saying, “if the person has godfearingness that prevents him from intercourse, then skin-to-skin contact between the navel and knees is permissible; otherwise, it isn’t.”
2. Deriving pleasure means savoring and doing that which brings about pleasure, whether by means of touching, kissing, looking, or otherwise.
Amjad Rasheed
Amman, Jordan
(Translated by Moustafa Elqabbany and Hamza Karamali)