Gems Of Ramadan ✔

DAY 5 - WOMEN IN RAMADAN

Some of the most popular questions that I have been getting since the start of Ramadhaan pertain to women and the issue of women on their menstrual cycle in this month. Most of our sisters are anguished at being unable to fast while everyone else is enjoying their Ibaadaat, so we will dedicate the few minutes of this Halaqah to that issue.

This Halaqah is directed more towards sisters but brothers need to be patient and it is also something they need to know. If they do not have a wife, they have mothers, sisters and aunts, and in the future Inshaa Allah Ta'aala they are going to have daughters so it will be something that they will need to know about.

Let me start off by saying first of all, our sisters should not feel anguished, sad or depressed or think that others beat you in Ibaadah because you were ordered not to fast or pray in Ramadhaan by the same One who ordered others to fast and pray. So you are in an Ibaadah (worship) by obedience to Allah.
This is a common feeling among our sisters and it is shared by many of our sisters. And before that, it was shared before that by our mother Aishah radhiallahu 'anha, may Allah grant our sisters lofty palaces next to that of Aishah.

In the Hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari, the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam was heading towards Hajj, when he stopped in an area called Sarif on the outskirts of Makkah. He saw Aishah was weeping and crying, he said what is the matter? She said I wish I had not made Hajj this year. And the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam immediately knew what she was talking about so he asked her, maybe you got your menses? Aishah replied yes. The Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam then comforted and consoled her, he told her this is a thing which Allah has ordained and decreed on all the daughters of Adam. After he comforted her, then he gave her the ruling. He said do that which pilgrims do except do not perform your Tawaaf around the Ka'bah until you are clean. Pay attention to that statement because we are going to refer to it a few times through this class, do that which pilgrims do except performing Tawaaf around the Ka'bah until you are clean. So it is the feeling of agony our sisters go through of not being able to do significant, special worships like the rest of the Ummah in blessed times and in blessed situations.

THE REWARD FOR ONE WHO IS PREVENTED FROM IBAADAH FOR A LEGITIMATE REASON

Rest assured without a doubt that any sister who truly, genuinely and sincerely was going to an Ibaadah such as fast and pray (both Fardh and Nafl) yet the only thing that stopped her short of that was getting her monthly days, then she will get the full reward Inshaa Allah, not a tiny bit less than if she had done it.

Listen to this Hadith:
إِذَا مَرِضَ الْعَبْدُ أَوْ سَافَرَ ، كُتِبَ لَهُ مِثْلَ مَا كَانَ يَعْمَلُ مُقِيمًا أَوْ صَحِيحًا
In Sahih al-Bukhari, the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said if one gets sick or travels, he will get the same reward as he was when he was not travelling and healthy.

He was deprived for a legitimate reason so he will get the reward, the reward continues on. A woman in her days is no different than that, you can take the Hadith to mean if a woman is on her menstrual cycle, she will get the same reward of deeds as if she had fasted. When one is deprived of Ibaadah because of something beyond their means, they will get the reward for deeds they missed out on because it was not by their choice. The Hadith mentioned if one gets sick, they will get their deeds of Ibaadah they missed out because they are sick.

One who is on her monthly days is very similar, near identical to that. The common denominator is both cannot perform their Ibaadah and they cannot perform it by force and not by choice. Ibn Hajr said this Hadith applies to anyone who otherwise would perform a deed, yet is not able to continue for circumstances beyond their means.

There are several Ahaadith indicating that if one is not able to perform worship due to circumstances not under their control, the reward of it will continue on, they will get the reward. Even in Jihad, the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam one time left for a battle and he left men behind in Madinah. He told the people with him, those men who did not join us, not a step you took or a valley you crossed except they will get the identical reward as you because they were held back for a legitimate reason.