The Committed Believer · Hajj & Umrah

Menstruation and Pilgrimage Rulings

Understanding rulings for menstruating women during Hajj and Umrah.

4 questions · Medium · about 2 minutes

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1. What should a menstruating woman do if she reaches the miqat intending Hajj or ‘umrah?

  • Enter ihram and do the rituals, but delay tawaf until she becomes pure and does ghusl. (correct answer)
  • Pass the miqat without ihram until her period ends.
  • Avoid Hajj completely because menstruation invalidates ihram.
  • Perform tawaf immediately while menstruating.

Why

A menstruating woman may enter ihram from the miqat, and her ihram is valid. She should do ghusl, use a cloth to manage the bleeding, enter ihram, and do everything the pilgrims do except tawaf around the Ka‘bah until her period ends and she does ghusl. If her period begins before tawaf, she delays tawaf and sa‘i until she becomes pure. But if her period begins after she completed tawaf, she may continue with sa‘i, because purity is not essential for sa‘i.

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2. What is the ruling on a woman taking medicine to delay or shorten menstruation during Hajj so she can perform tawaf?

  • It is permissible if there is no harm. (correct answer)
  • It is obligatory for every woman who expects her period.
  • It is forbidden because it always invalidates Hajj.
  • It is only allowed for sa‘i, not tawaf.

Why

There is nothing wrong with a woman taking medicine to prevent menstruation or shorten its duration so that she can perform tawaf, provided that it does not harm her. Tawaf al-ifaadah is an essential pillar of Hajj and is not waived for a menstruating woman, so she must wait until she becomes pure and does ghusl before performing it. Farewell tawaf is different: menstruating women are excused from it if they have already done tawaf al-ifaadah. If continuing the pills until farewell tawaf may cause harm, she may stop taking them and use the concession if her period comes.

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3. Can a menstruating woman perform sa‘i between as-Safa and al-Marwah?

  • Yes, sa‘i is valid during menstruation. (correct answer)
  • No, sa‘i is invalid until she becomes pure.
  • No, because menstruation prevents all Hajj actions.
  • Yes, but only if she already did tawaf while menstruating.

Why

It is not essential to be free of menses in order to enter ihram or perform sa‘i. A menstruating woman may enter ihram from the miqat and do the actions of Hajj or ‘umrah, but she must not perform tawaf around the Ka‘bah until she becomes pure and does ghusl. If she already performed tawaf while pure and her period began afterward, she may continue with sa‘i.

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4. If a woman passed the miqat without intending ‘umrah, then later decided in Jeddah to perform ‘umrah, where should she enter ihram?

  • From where she is in Jeddah. (correct answer)
  • From inside Makkah after reaching the Ka‘bah.
  • She cannot enter ihram until her period ends.
  • From Jeddah in every case, even if she had intended ‘umrah when passing the miqat.

Why

Purity is not a condition for entering ihram, so menstruation by itself does not excuse someone from entering ihram at the miqat if they already intend Hajj or ‘umrah. If a woman passed the miqat without intending ‘umrah, then later decided in Jeddah to perform ‘umrah, she enters ihram from Jeddah. But if she had intended ‘umrah when passing the miqat and did not enter ihram there, she must return to the miqat if able; if she enters from Jeddah instead, she must offer a sheep in Makkah and distribute it to the poor of the Haram.

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A note on these answers

These questions are for learning and self-testing. Explanations are drawn from the sources linked on each question and are not a fatwa. For a ruling on your own circumstances, please consult a qualified scholar.

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