Making Sujud for Sajadah if impure
Fatwa No: 87201

Question

Is it permissible for a woman to make Sujud when she hears an Ayah with Sajadah even if she is her period? Please let me know. I couldn't find a clear answer in al-Fatawa.

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 is His slave and Messenger.

 

The scholars differed in opinion in relation to the prostration that should be performed when listening to the Quran where a prostration has to be made, whether or not such prostration could be considered like the prayer which requires purity.

Those who are of the opinion that this is different from the prayer, allow a woman in menstruation to prostrate when listening to the Quran where a prostration has to be performed.  Among those who are of this opinion is Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah who said: "As it is permissible for a person who is not in a state of purity to recite the Quran, then it is more appropriate for him/her to prostrate, because reading the Quran is of a greater degree than just performing the prostration of the recitation of the Quran."

He also said: "The prostration of listening to the Quran does neither need the first Takbeer (saying Allaahu Akbar for beginning the prayer) nor Tasleem (saying Allaahu Akbar for concluding the prayer); this is what we know from the Sunnah of the Prophet . This is also the opinion of the majority of our predecessors, and it is as well the opinion of the well-known Imaams.  Therefore, the prostration for the recitation of the Quran is not a prayer, and so, the conditions of prayer do not apply to it. It is permissible to prostrate without being in the state of purity as Ibn 'Umar used to prostrate without being in a state of purity. However, if this prostration is performed with the conditions of the prayer, then that is better, and it should not be ignored except for an excuse.  Prostrating without being in a state of purity, is better than not prostrating at all.

However, it could be said that ‘It is not an obligation in this case, as it is not an obligation on the listener or the reader who did not perform the prostration, even if this prostration is allowed according to the opinion of the majority of the scholars".

Therefore, according to this view, it is permissible for a woman in menstruation if she hears the Quran or reads it to prostrate for the recitation of the Quran, although that is not obligatory upon her.

Allaah Knows best.

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