A Brief Guide to the Rites of Hajj and ‘Umrah

Author: Shaykh Abu Haatim Usaamah Ibn ‘Abdil-Lateef Al-Qoosee

Source: Al-Manhaj
Translator: Abu Maryam Isma’eel Alarcon

Published: Monday 3rd August, 2015



Special Cases: Women and Menstruation During Hajj

If a woman begins her menses cycle before, during, or after the rites of Hajj, she can complete all the ordered sequence of rites of the Hajj except the Tawaaf (circumambulation) around the House in seven circuits, until she becomes clean after the end of the menses.

If a woman commences her menstrual bleeding after completing the first Tawaaf (Tawaaf al-Qudoom), then she must complete all the remaining rites of Hajj (like the other women of Hajj), except that she must wait to become clean at the end of her menses in order to perform the Tawaaf al-Ifaadah (The Tawaaf of Return).

Her Hajj or ‘Umrah are not ruined, as some ignorant people presume; rather her Hajj is valid and her ‘Umrah is valid. Allaah has indeed written this for all of the daughters of Aadam; therefore, women will experience menses.

So there is no problem for women experiencing menses to complete all of the rites of Hajj, except the Tawaaf around the House. They must wait until becoming clean and purified after the completion of the menses, before performing the Tawaaf again.

Another case is when a woman commences her menstrual bleeding before performing the Farewell Tawaaf (Tawaaf al-Widaa’). Is it necessary for her to wait until the end of her menses, become purified, and then perform the Tawaaf al-Widaa?

No, in this case, the Tawaaf Al-Ifaadah ("the Tawaaf of return (from Minaa) that was performed earlier will suffice for both the Tawaaf al-Ifaadah as well as the Tawaaf al-Widaa'. These is no need for a woman to wait until becoming purified; she can complete the remaining rites of Hajj during the final days without having to perform the Tawaaf al-Widaa', and depart home with her family.

This concludes a summary of the ordered rites of ‘Umrah and Hajj.


 

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