‘Umrah in a period of purity between two menstruations

16-1-2014 | IslamWeb

Question:

I was at the end of my menstruation period and I thought that I had become pure. My menstruation period usually lasts for six or seven days. I became pure on the sixth day because the discharge stopped. Therefore, I started to perform ‘Umrah. After finishing the rituals, I discovered that I had discharged a little quantity of blood. On the seventh day, I became pure again. Then I started to perform ‘Umrah again. After finishing the rituals, I again discovered that I had discharged blood. What is the Sharee‘ah ruling?

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 ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

If you were almost certain that your menstruation has ended by one of two signs which are blood cessation or the white discharge and then you made Ghusl and performed the rituals of ‘Umrah, your ‘Umrah is valid because you performed Tawaaf in a state of purity. That is because purity between two periods of menstruation is a true purity during which a woman is required to perform Ghusl, pray and do what pure women do. When discharge of blood occurs again, a woman is again in menstruation. It was reported that Ibn ‘Abbaas  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  them said: "It is impermissible for a woman when she experiences purity for an hour to remain without Ghusl."

Consequently, if you performed ‘Umrah on the sixth and seventh days and you were pure, as indicated in the question, then your two ‘Umrahs are valid and there is nothing due upon you.

But if you performed Tawaaf while blood was discharging, your Tawaaf is invalid, because a woman is prevented to perform Tawaaf during menstruation. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said to a menstruating woman during Hajj: "Do as other pilgrims do, but do not perform Tawaaf unless you become pure." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Consequently, you are required to go to Makkah, perform Tawaaf and Sa‘y and then end the state of Ihraam for your ‘Umrah. You are excused for violating the restrictions of Ihraam during that due to ignorance. Allaah The Exalted Says (what means): {And there is no blame upon you for that in which you have erred but [only for] what your hearts intended. And ever is Allaah Forgiving and Merciful.}[Quran 33: 5]

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him said: "A pilgrim who violates one of the restrictions of Ihraam out of forgetfulness, ignorance or compulsion, he is blameless. Allaah The Exalted Says (what means): {And there is no blame upon you for that in which you have erred but [only for] what your hearts intended.}[Quran 33: 5] Regarding killing the game which is one of the restrictions of Ihraam, Allaah The Exalted Says (what means): {O you who have believed, do not kill game while you are in the state of Ihraam. And whoever of you kills it intentionally - the penalty is an equivalent from sacrificial animals to what he killed}[Quran 5: 95] These texts indicate that the person who violates one of the restrictions of Ihraam out of forgetfulness or ignorance is blameless."

If you are doubtful about the time of the blood discharge and whether it was during Tawaaf or after it, you should know that the majority of the scholars are of the view that doubt regarding purity is of no effect. That is because continuation of purity is the original ruling. Therefore, this original state remains unless one is certain of the opposite. Hence, the original ruling in this issue is that your Tawaaf is valid. 

Allaah Knows best.

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