Experiencing haidh in the month of Ramadan
Assalaam u alaykum wa rahma tullahi wa barakaatuhu
The month of Ramadan is such a beautiful month and due to haidh, I feel as though I am not making the most of this month.
I would like to know if there is any form of ibaadah that can reward a woman who is experiencing haidh with the same reward of performing that taraweeh salaah or that fast for the day..
If not, could you please advise me on what forms of ibaadah (aside from the zikr) would be advisable during the time of haidh.
Shukran wa ahsan uljazaa
Answer
Wa’alaykum as Salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,
May Allah reward you for your zeal and enthusiasm to make the most of the blessed month of Ramadhaan.
Haidh (Menstruation) is a condition that women experience by the will of Allah, and upon which they have no control. When a woman does not fast, perform Salaah, recite Quraan etc. due to her experiencing Haidh, she is in fact in the obedience of Allah, for it is Allah who has forbidden these acts of worship on a menstruating woman. Hence if a woman spends her time out of Haidh as Allah has commanded, insha Allaah she will receive the reward even when in Haidh, despite not being able to carry out those acts of worship.
However, many woman feel that they cannot do anything during their menstrual period and as a result, waste all the precious moments of those days. This is an incorrect notion. There are many rewarding acts that a woman can engage in during the month of Ramadhaan besides fasting, Salaah, and recital of the Quraan.
1. Listening to the Quraan.
Although recitation of the Quraan is forbidden during Haidh, we forget that listening to the Quraan is also very rewarding.
2. Dhikr – Remembrance of Allaah.
It comes in a Hadith of Sahih Ibn Khuzaimah that we should constantly recite the second Kalimah,
3. Durud – Each time we send salutations upon the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) 10 sins are forgiven, 10 good deeds are recorded, and our rank in Jannah is increased by 10 stages. These rewards are further amplified during the month of Ramadhaan.
4. Dua – Ramadhaan is a month of duas being accepted. It is a month wherein the servant is able to make as many requests as he can and hope that they will all be fulfilled, for in this month Allah is most generous on His servants. In one Hadith it is related that during the month of Ramadhaan, we should often pray for Jannah and constantly seek relief from the fire.
Even in the state of Haidh, it is still highly recommended that you wake up at the time of Suhur and beseech Allah. Likewise, although you did not fast, you should still implore Allah at the time of Iftaar,
5. Repentance. – This is the month of turning to Allah in repentance and making amends for all the wrong done in the past with the firm intention to abstain from the wrong in future. In a narration of Sahih Ibn Khuzaimah, the prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) encouraged that we seek alot of repentance during the month of Ramadhaan,
6. Reading Islamic literature or listening to inspirational and motivating Islamic lectures,
7. Charity – It is related in the beginning of Sahih al-Bukhari that although the prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was generous throughout the year, he would display much more generosity during the month of Ramadhaan,
8. Feeding those that are fasting. By feeding a fasting person one will reap the following rewards which are all mentioned in the Ahadith:
a) He will get the same reward as the fasting person,
b) All the sins will be forgiven,
c) Allah will save the person from the hell-fire,
d) Allah will bless the person with water from the pond of Kawthar
There are just but a few actions which you can carry out to make your Ramadhaan fruitful.
قال الإمام البخاري حدثنا عبدان قال أخبرنا عبد الله قال أخبرنا يونس عن الزهري ح و حدثنا بشر بن محمد قال أخبرنا عبد الله قال أخبرنا يونس ومعمر عن الزهري نحوه قال أخبرني عبيد الله بن عبد الله عن ابن عباس قال كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أجود الناس وكان أجود ما يكون في رمضان (أخرجه البخاري في صحيحه- (1/ 8)
قال الإمام الترمذي حدثنا هناد حدثنا عبد الرحيم عن عبد الملك بن أبي سليمان عن عطاء عن زيد بن خالد الجهني : قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم من فطر صائما كان له مثل أجره غير أنه لا ينقص من أجر الصائم شيئا (أخرجه الترمذي في سننه (3/ 171) و قال أبو عيسى هذا حديث حسن صحيح)
قال إبن خزيمة ثنا علي بن حجر السعدي، ثنا يوسف بن زياد، ثنا همام بن يحيى، عن علي بن زيد بن جدعان، عن سعيد بن المسيب، عن سلمان قال:
خطبنا رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – في آخر يوم من شعبان، فقال: “أيها الناس قد أظلكم شهر عظيم، شهر مبارك، شهر فيه ليلة خير من ألف شهر، جعل الله صيامه فريضة، وقيام ليله تطوعا، من تقرب فيه بخصلة من الخير، كان كمن أدى فريضة فيما سواه، ومن أدى فيه فريضة، كان كمن أدى سبعين فريضة فيما سواه، وهو شهر الصبر، والصبر ثوابه الجنة، وشهر المواساة، وشهر يزداد فيه رزق المؤمن، من فطر فيه صائما كان مغفرة لذنوبه، وعتق رقبته من النار، وكان له مثل أجره من غير أن ينتقص من أجره شيء”. قالوا: ليس كلنا نجد ما يفطر الصائم. فقال: “يعطي الله هذا الثواب من فطر صائما على تمرة، أو شربة ماء، أو مذقة لبن، وهو شهر أوله رحمة، وأوسطه مغفرة، وآخره عتق من النار، من خفف عن مملوكه غفر الله له، وأعتقه من النار، واستكثروا فيه من أربع خصال: خصلتين ترضون بهما ربكم، وخصلتين لا غنى بكم عنهما، فأما الخصلتان اللتان ترضون بهما ربكم، فشهادة أن لا إله إلا الله، وتستغفرونه، وأما اللتان لا غنى بكم عنهما، فتسألون الله الجنة، وتعوذون به من النار، ومن أشبع فيه صائما، سقاه الله من حوضي شربة لا يظمأ حتى يدخل الجنة”. (أخرجه ابن خزيمة في صحيحه (2/ 911)