A menstruating woman staying at the Holy Mosque
Fatwa No: 136788

Question

What is the ruling on women staying at the Holy Mosque (in Makkah) while menstruating in order to listen to the Khutbah (sermon) and lectures?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu 'alyhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: "It is impermissible for a woman who is menstruating to stay at the Holy Mosque or any other mosque. It is permissible only for her to pass by the mosque and take what she needs. When the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, asked ‘Aa’ishah to fetch a straw mat, she said to him that it was in the mosque and that she was menstruating, so he said: “Your menstruation is not in your hands.” Thus, it is permissible for a woman who is menstruating to enter the mosque if she is sure that no blood would affect the mosque. However, it is impermissible for her to enter and stay in the mosque as the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, ordered women to go to the ‘Eed (feast) prayer, but asked those who were menstruating to stay away from the prayer area. This proves that it is impermissible for a woman who is menstruating to stay at the mosque to listen to Khutbah or religious lessons."

Allaah Knows best.

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