What is Menstruation?
All adult women will experienced at least once in month of menstruation. Menstruation is also called as period which is the regular discharge of blood and menses from women uterus. It is a cycle that will stop occuring if a woman in the age stage of menopause. Also read : importance of virginity in Islam
The Islamic View of Menstruation
During menstruation Muslim women are forbid to perform some form of worship such as fast, prayer and some scholars said they harm to touch Al-Qur’an. It is explained in the following verse :
“And they ask you about menstruation. Say, ‘It is harm, so keep away from wives during menstruation. And do not approach them until they are pure. And when they have purified themselves, then come to them from where Allah has ordained for you. Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.” (QS. Al-Baqarah : 222)
The above verses explained that a woman in a state of menstruation is impure and should not have a sexual relation with her husband or performing worship until they purify themselves.
In fact the science said that if women having sexual relation while menstruation will harm both of the wive or husband. In the following hadith from Abu Hurairah ra. that Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam said:
“Whoever come to a shaman then confirms what he says, or comes to a woman who is menstruating, or commes to (jima’ with) a woman through her rectum, then he has separated himself from what was revealed to Muhammad.” (Narrated by Abu Daud and validated by Al-Albani)
Also read : how to purify yourself
How to Bath After Menstruation in Islam
After the cycle of menstruation within 7-14 days end, muslims women should purify themselves by doing Ghusl. Ghusl also refer to the full body ritual of purification or full ablution.
“O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying or in a state of janabah, except those passing through (a place of prayer), until you have washed (your whole body).
And 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 find no water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and your hands (with it). Indeed, Allah is ever Pardoning and Forgiving.” (QS. An-Nisa : 43)
To perform full ablution (bath) after menstruation the step or procedure are as follow:
1. Find water for bath
“Remember when He overwhelmed you with drownsiness (giving) security from Him and sent down upon you from the sky, rain which to purify and remove from you the evil (suggestions) of Satan and to make steadfast your hearts and plant firmly thereby your feet.” (QS. Al-Anfal : 11
And also Rasulullah shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said :
“O God, cleanse my sins with water, snow and dew.” (Narrated by Bukhari)
Search source of water which permissible to use as the above such as spring, sea, river, rain, well water and don’t use an impure water that contained several bacteria or an extracted water of fruit and trees.
Make sure that the water to perform bath is a safe water since it is important to do so. Also read : prohibition of intoxicants in Islam
And if you don’t find any water you could perform Ghusl with tayammum by using a clean earth and rub it over face and hands. And right after finding water source you should perform Ghusl again.
2. Niyyah
Before performing it muslim women should begin with niyyah or the intention of ghusl for purification and said it inside your heart and it is not recommended to speak it out loud. And after read the intention later say bismillah. Also read : importance of bismillah in Islam
[AdSense-B]
3. Face your body toward the water resource
Wash your both hands up to the wrists begins with the right hand and rub between the fingers and repeat it three times (recommended) and continued it with the left hand with the same method.
4. Wash the private parts and remove dirt from the body
This is intended to remove the vaginal discharge on the private parts with water and clean it so that there is no dirt left behind and all the body will be cleaned up with water.
5. Rinsing the inner mouth
Wash your hand first with water for about three times and take a cup of water in your right hand and pour it into your mouth, and gargle to clean the inner mouth and spit it out afterward, repeat it three times like the ablution (recommended).
6. Sniff some water
Take a cup of water with your right hand and sniff the water into your nostrils and blow the water out afterward and repeat it three times (recommended). Also read : importance of green color
7. Washing face
Wash your face with the water three times from your hairline right into you chin and jawbone and continued it from ear to ear and clean your ear part behind. [AdSense-C]
8. Washing arm
Washing the lower arm up to the elbow, begins with the right arm then left arm and repeat three times (recommended)
- Wash the hair and all part of the head for three times (recommended).
- Wash the entire body both right side and left side by pouring water rigorously.
- Pour the water over the head
It is also recommended to pour the water and rub every part of our body to make sure that our body is clean.
9. Wash the feet
Wash feet both right and left, and we should make sure that every single toes is touch by water and rub it with your finger.
10. Dry the body as soon as possible
After finished all the ghusl practice, muslim women should clean their body with a towel and dressed.
From the above practice there are some part that must be done 9nandatory) which are niyyah (intention), rinsing mouth, sniffing water, and wash entire body.
If the full ablution is done corectly as the above procedure, the muslim women are considered to be pure and able to perform worship (salah, fast, recite Al-Qur’an, etc).