Question:
Assalaamu ‘Alaykum
I am a twenty-three-year-old girl and my problem is that the first time that I had menstruation, I did not know anything about the matter and I kept crying alone without telling anyone at all – even my mother.
I did not fast the month of Ramadan as I had no knowledge because my mother never told us anything about this.
As for the four or five days that I did not fast during the month of Ramadan because of menstruation, I usually intended to fast them, but I did not do this. Now, I have calculated these days and they amount to one month.
I do not know what to do. Perhaps I was negligent due to the fact that I was ignorant regarding many religious matters.
Now, I really want to know what I should do.
May Allah reward you.
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Ever Merciful
Dear sister,
Assalaamu ‘Alaykum
A menstruating woman should make up for the days that she did not fast, but she does not have to make up for the prayers that she missed during the menstrual period. Sincere repentance is the solution for this, so you should calculate the number of days that you have to make up for and after fasting, you should be keen on supplicating Allah The Almighty and praying frequently. You should know that Allah The Almighty accepts the repentance of His slaves as He is The Merciful and The Forgiving. We welcome you to our website at anytime if you have any further questions, as you would feel that you are among brothers who wish you all the best.
We wish that every mother would do her role in teaching her daughters about the signs of the age of puberty so that girls would know the matter properly. We also hope that schoolteachers would fulfill their role in directing their students. Parents should know that being distant from their children during the age of puberty subjects them to severe psychological problems and makes them resort to corrupt people as the absence of proper directions paves the way to receiving answers from friends and this is really dangerous.
Muslim women should learn about such matters that are necessary to follow sound creed and proper acts of worship. Muslim women know that they should not pray during their menstruation and they do not have to make up for these prayers, but they have to make up for the days that they did not fast because of menstruation during the month of Ramadan. If a woman menstruates during the day when she is fasting, this invalidates her fast. If she attains purity before dawn, she should fast on this day even if she performs Ghusl (ritual bath) after dawn.
Muslim women should not pray, enter the mosque, or touch the Mus-haf (copy of the Quran) during the menstrual period. When there is no blood at all or a white discharge is seen, women should perform Ghusl then pray and fast if they have some days to make up for.
To perform Ghusl, one should start by washing the two hands, then the private parts and perform ablution. After this the woman should wash her head. If she has braids, she should untie them to make sure the water reaches the roots of her hair. She should wash the right side before the left one and the upper part before the lower one, and make sure that water reaches all the parts of her body.
I advise you to fear Allah, to have good company and to attend religious lessons and lectures. We ask Allah The Almighty to enhance your diligence and to guide you.
May Allah grant us success and guidance.