Women are allowed to take part in mourning rituals during their period, provided they follow a few respectful rules to preserve ritual respect and cleanliness.
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.
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.
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.
Therefore, a woman may attend mourning ceremonies while menstruating, but she must pay attention to the following points:
6) Practical Tips
Tip | |
|---|---|
Do not stay inside a mosque while menstruating | If the majlis is in a mosque, a menstruating woman should not remain there. |
Avoid touching the Qur’an or sacred names | During du‘ā and ziyārah, refrain from direct physical contact with the Qur’an and asmāʼ mutabarakah. |
Observe rules of ritual impurity and hygiene | Take care to prevent menstrual blood from soiling people or the place. |
Participate respectfully | Women may attend and join mourning but should follow the above conditions to preserve sanctity. |
