Islam Guidance

Verse222

Section 28,
Regulation about Divorce
Men not to go near women during the monthly course - Glad-tidings to the believers about their meeting Allah - period of waiting for divorced women - Reconciliation after the divorce and re-establishment of conjugal relations.

(222) وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْمَحِيضِ قُلْ هُوَ أَذًى فَاعْتَزِلُواْ النِّسَاء فِي الْمَحِيضِ وَلاَ تَقْرَبُوهُنَّ حَتَّىَ يَطْهُرْنَ فَإِذَا تَطَهَّرْنَ فَأْتُوهُنَّ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَمَرَكُمُ اللّهُ إِنَّ اللّهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ وَيُحِبُّ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ

222. " They ask you (O' Muhammad) concerning menstruation. Say: 'It is a hurt; so avoid (intercourse with) women during menstruation and do not approach them till they be cleaned. When they are thus purified, then you may go unto them as Allah has commanded you.' Verily, Allah loves those who repent constantly, and (He) loves those who purify themeselves."
Occasion of Revelation:
Women have a state of menstruation every month the course of which is at least three days and at most ten days. It is discharging of blood from the woman's womb, with some special qualities which the concerning jurisprudent books detail. The woman in this condition is called: /ha'id/ 'menstruous woman' and that blood is called 'menstrual blood'.
The existing religious regulations among the Jews and the Christians due to sexual intercourse of men with such women are opposite to each other, so different that it creates questions for a person not from amongst them.

Some of the Jews say that the association of men with such women is absolutely unlawful, even in the form of eating food with them at the same table, or living in one room. They say, for example, a man should not sit where a menstruous woman had sat before. So, if the man sat thereon, he would have to wash his clothing, else it is unclean, /najis/. Or, if he sleeps in her bed, he must wash both his clothing and body. In short, according to the current Torah, a woman, during this period, is considered an unclean one necessary to avoid. (The Torah, Leviticus, Chapter 15, p. 138, No. 19-29 which is exactly narrated at the end of the current discussion._
Christians are just opposite with this group. They actually make no difference between the menstrual period of woman and other than that. There is no bar for them to have any association with their wives including sexual intercourse during that period, even.
Pagan Arabs, the ones who were living in Medina in particular, had become, more or less, sociable with the habits of the Jews, and treated menstruous women like the Jews did. They used to keep aloof from their wives when they were in their monthly courses. That very notable difference in those religious notions and the existing custom among their adherents, caused that some Muslims posed that question to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.). In answer to their question, this verse was revealed.
Commentary:
Hygienic Concerns During Menstruation
" They ask you (O' Muhammad) concerning menstruation. Say: ' It is a hurt; ..."
The Arabic term /mahid/ is an infinitive form which, here, philologically means 'menstruation'. Thus, the meaning of the verse is: O' Muhammad they ask you about menstruation and its injunctions. In answer to that, say 'It is a hurt'.
In fact, this phrase states the philosophy of the ordinance of the prohibition of sexually approaching women during their monthly course.
This matter is referred to in the subsequent sentence. Sexual intercourse with women in this state, besides being repugnant, brings forth many harms. This fact has been approved by modern medicine, too, which can be found in concerning medical books.
Some of these harms are as follows:
1. At first, preparing a good environment for the increase of venereal microbes (as a result of dropping particles from the mucus of endometrium in the womb during this period).
2. The probability of the increase of venerial diseases, or STO, both in man and woman.
3. Creating a kind of hatred in man.
And, however, for more data, the books concerning the bygiene of women should be referred to.
The continuation of the commentary of the verse is stretched in the next page.
The probability of becoming barren and unproductive in woman & man, preparing a good environment for the increase of venereal microbes such as: syphilis, gonorrhea, inflammation in the woman's genital organ, arriving of the menstrual material, which is full of microbes, into the man's organ, and so on are explained in the concerning medical books. That is why physicians have also prohibited sexual intercourse with such women.
Discharging the blood of menstruation is due to the congestion of the blood vessels of the womb and the gall of its mucus. The ovary also associates with the action of the congestion of the blood vessels in the womb.
Approximately about the time of menses, the woman's seed passes through a tube called the fallopian tube and enters the womb in order that if the sperm of man comes in, they jointly produce a foetus.
At the first onset, the blood of menstruation is irregular and colourless, but soon it becomes regular and turns red; but at the end, it becomes weak in colour and irregular.
Basically, the discharging blood at the time of monthly menstruation, is the same blood gathered in the interior blood vessels of the womb every month for the nourishment of the probable foetus. We know that the womb of a woman produces an ovule a month. Nearly at the same time the interior blood vessels of the womb, by way of hormonal activity, in order to be ready to feed the foetus, become full of blood. If when the ovule passes through the fallopian tube and enters the womb the spermatozoon be present therein, they form a foetus and the existing blood in the blood vessels will be used as its nutrition, otherwise the existing blood , as a result of appearing some breaks in the walls of the blood vessels in the womb and mucus of the womb, pour out from the womb in the form of menstruation blood.
This statement makes it clear why sexual intercourse during that period is a pollution or a hurt and is forbidden. It also indicates that at the time of discharging, the woman's womb has not any natural preparation to embrace foetus, therefore it will be hurt thereby.
"... so avoid (intercourse with) women during menstruation and do not approach them till they be cleaned. ... "
The beginning phrase of this verse, which enjoins avoidance and prohibits approaching and having intercourse with menstruous women, initially seems similar to the present regulations in the creed of the Jews. But, regarding to the sentence: 'then you may go unto them as Allah has commanded you' , which is upon the permission of sexual intercourse with women after being cleaned from the menstruation, it is recognized that the purpose of avoidance and barring the approaching is only abstention from sexual intercourse during that period.
Thus, Islam has paved a moderate path due to the monthly course of women. And, the method of Islam everywhere is always the middle way; so, it is always aloof from excess and defect. Here, it also condemns the excess of the Jews by saying that, any companionship and association with women in their course, except for sexual intercourse, does not matter. It also rejects the method of the Christians who consider no limitation for the association with menstruous women. In this way, Islam, observing the honour and personality of woman and abandoning her humiliation, has prevented the deeds which cause hygienical harms and hurts for both man and woman.
Permitted Sexual Intercourse
" ... When they are thus purified, then you may go unto them as Allah has commanded you.' ..."
This part of the verse is, in fact, an explanation of the permitted intercourse with women. It is understood from the terms 'when they are thus purified' that as soon as women are free from monthly course, sexual intercourse with them is allowed for their husbands; because this phrase has occurred after the qualification of the uncleanliness of menstruation. That is, when women are cleaned from this uncleanliness, the prohibition will be removed. The interpretation of /tatahharna/ 'are thus purified' into ritual ablution /qusl/ for women is not fitting with the apparency of the verse, because there has not been any statement of obligatory 'ritual ablution' /qusl/ at the beginning of the verse.
In other words, the apparent meaning of the earlier phrase that says: 'till they be cleaned' is that the prohibition is during the time of uncleanliness of a woman; and the phrase: 'when they are thus purified', which has begun, in Arabic, with a sign of subdivision, refers to the meaning of the earlier phrase, i.e. when they become cleaned, this prohibition will be removed. And, this is the same judgement that our great religious jurisprudents have also chosen in jurisprudence and have decreed that: sexual intercourse with women, after being cleansed from blood, and even before performing their ritual ablution /qusl/, is permissible.
By the foregoing explanation, it became defined that the phrase 'are thus purified' , in spite of what some have supposed, does not have any indication to performing ritual ablution, and the obligation of it has been proved through another reason.
In the next sentence, it commands that you may approach your wives in the same way that Allah has ordered you:
" ... then you may go unto them as Allah has commanded you. ' ..."
This phrase can be an emphasis on the previous statement, i.e. you may have sexual intercourse only in the case of cleanliness of your wives, not in other than that.
It may also convey a wider and more general concept, viz. after being cleaned, the sexual approachment should also be performed in the limits of the commandments of Allah.
The commandment can evidently encompass both the genetic commandment of Allah and the divine legislation, because, for the purpose of the maintenance of the human kind, Allah has settled a kind of interest and attraction between the two sexes toward each other that, for the same reason, each party enjoys a special pleasure from the other one. But it is certain that the aim of that status has been for the maintenance of the generations of human kind, and this struggle and pleasure is a preparation for that aim. Therefore, sexual pleasure should be settled alongside the path of the maintenance of the human race. For this very reason, masturbation, sodomy and the like of them, which are a deviation from this genetic commandment, are totally forbidden. By no means can these disagreeable acts provide the main aim of sexual intercourse and are not even towards it (besides other grave harms that they have).
" ... Verily, Allah loves those who repent constantly, and (He) loves those who purify themselves."
The term ' repentance ' means return from sin and regret from disobedience to the command of Allah.
The main pillars of repentance are three:
1- The acknowledgment that the one has ignorantly disobeyed the commandment of Allah formerly.
2- To feel sorry about that action.
3- A firm decision upon its abandonment in the future and making an effort to make up for the past.
When such a situation appears in a person, the one is called /ta'ib/ 'repentant', and that action is termed /taubah/ 'repentance'. (More explanation about repentance and its conditions have been detailed and will be cited upon the verses of consequence.)
The objective meaning of the Qur'anic term /tathir/ 'purification' in this verse is 'not to be polluted by sin' and 'refrain from disobeying Allah'.
The occurrence of this phrase at the end of the verse is for that, after the command of the Lord enjoining the avoidance of the believers from sexual intercourse during the monthly period of women, some might not restrain themselves from that because of the intense pressure of their natural instinct and inspite of the order of Allah would commit sin. So, in order that this group of people be hopeful and could return to rightfulness, the Qur'an remarks that if (such) people repent, Allah loves them, while those who keep purified themselves from the beginning and do not pollute themselves with this sin, have a larger portion of the love and grace of Allah.
* * * *
Old Testament, Leviticus, Chapter 15, p. 138, No. 19 to 29, concerning women at the period of menstruation, says thus:
19. And if a woman has an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even.
20. And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean.
21. And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
22. And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
23. And if it be on her bed, or on any thing whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it, he shall be unclean until the even.
24. And if any man lie with her at all, and her flowers be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean.
25. And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean.
26. Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation.
27. And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
28. But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean.
29. And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

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