How a traveler by land purifies herself after menstruation

8-4-2013 | IslamWeb

Question:

Is it permissible to delay Ghusl for menstruation while traveling until I reach my country? I travel by land and want to know what I should do in this case.

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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.

 

Purification with water is obligatory and a prerequisite for performing the prayer, unless there is a Sharee‘ah-approved justification, such as the unavailability of water. In the latter case, purification with earth (Tayammum) will be the alternative. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {But if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and hands with it.} [Quran 5: 6]

If delaying Ghusl while traveling will cause you to miss the prayer's fixed time, then it is one of the grave major sins. Consequently, you are not permitted to delay Ghusl while traveling until you return home. If there is not enough water for Ghusl, or there is water but you need it for drinking, you can perform Tayammum and then pray. Nevertheless, it is rare nowadays to be without water when one is traveling by land because there are many bathrooms spread along paved roads and many stations and rest houses.

Allaah Knows best.