I am a teacher in a Quran school for girls. Some students, the oldest is 14 years old, menstruate and therefore they stop learning and memorizing the Quran, given that they may menstruate twice or three times a month. As a teacher, what should I do?

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.

The majority of scholars are of the view that a menstruating woman is permitted neither to recite nor to touch the Quran. Nevertheless, the opinion of Maalik is that she is permitted to recite the Quran but without touching it. This is also according to an opinion by Ash-Shaafi‘i and a narration reported from Ahmad .  Commenting on Al-Muwatta’, Al-Baaji said: "Menstruation prevents ten things. Touching the Mus-haf (copy of the Quran) is one of them."

Given this opinion which allows menstruating women to recite the Quran but without touching it, these students can recite the Quran and revise it but without touching the Mus-haf during the period of menstruation. If touching is necessary, they are permitted to do so. Counting things which are prevented by menstruation, Ad-Dusooqi a Maaliki scholar, said: "…and touching the Mus-haf unless she is a teacher or student. In this case she is permitted to touch it."

Allaah Knows best.