Can women attend mourning rituals during their period? The short ruling everyone should know

Attendance by women at mourning ceremonies — especially during the month of Muharram — is a praiseworthy act emphasised in Islam. However, observing certain conditions is necessary to maintain the sanctity of those gatherings and to observe hygiene.

Special rulings for women and conditions for presence at mourning ceremonies

In general, a woman attending mourning ceremonies and participating in chest-beating while menstruating does not face an absolute prohibition. Still, several important points should be kept in mind:

• Remaining in a mosque: If the ceremony is held inside a mosque, a woman who is menstruating should not remain inside the mosque.

• Contact with the Qur’an and sacred names: During recitation of du‘ā and ziyārah, she should avoid touching the Qur’an or sacred names (asmāʼ mutabarakah) with her hands or body.

• Rules about impurity (najāsah): She must observe rulings on impurity and avoid contaminating places or people with menstrual blood.

Why this ruling?

• Menstrual impurity: Menstruation is considered ritually impure in the relevant jurisprudential sense, and contact with it or soiling others or the place is prohibited.

• Sanctity of the mosque: The mosque is a sacred place, and those in a state of ritual impurity are not permitted to remain inside it.

• Respect for the Qur’an and sacred names: The Qur’ān and sacred names hold special respect; physical contact with them during impurity is not permitted.

Women in mourning ceremonies

Therefore, a woman may attend mourning ceremonies while menstruating, but she must pay attention to the following points:

6) Practical Tips