Question:
السلام علیکم
What are some specific adhkaar I can read on haidh? Besides adhkaar, what other ibaadaat can I do while on haidh that will be very virtuous?
Jazaakallah
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-Salāmu ʿAlaykum Wa-Raḥmatullāhi Wa-Barakātuh
In principle, there are no specific Adhkār prescribed exclusively for a menstruating woman She may engage in abundant Dhikr, including Tasbīḥ (SubḥānAllāh), Tahlīl (Lā ilāha illallāh), Taḥmīd (Alḥamdulillāh), the Kalimas, Ṣalawāt upon Nabi ﷺ, and other permissible forms of Dhikr. She may also make Duʿāʾ for herself, her family, and the Ummah, and ask Allah ﷻ for guidance, forgiveness, steadfastness, good character, and success in both this world and the Hereafter.
She can also make particular use of this time for Murāqabah, meaning to reflect and ponder over her condition, her actions, her relationship with Allah ﷻ, and the state of her heart. She can examine her shortcomings, identify habits that need to be corrected, and sincerely consider the changes she needs to make in her life. This can be accompanied by abundant Tawbah and Istighfār, asking Allah ﷻ to forgive past shortcomings and granting her the resolve to avoid them in the future.
This period can also be used to work on one’s relationship with the Makhluq (Allah’s creation). She can reflect upon how she deals with her parents, husband, children, relatives, neighbours, friends, and others, and consider whether there are any rights that she has neglected, relationships that need to be repaired, or aspects of her character that require improvement. Where she identifies a deficiency, she should take the necessary practical steps to rectify it.
She may also engage in many other virtuous acts of worship and beneficial activities. These include giving Ṣadaqah (charity), helping others, serving her parents and family, listening to the Qurʾān, studying beneficial Islamic knowledge, listening to Islamic lectures, and reading reliable Islamic books. She can specifically read books dealing with Islāḥ (self-reformation), good character, purification of the heart, the rights of others, and the development of good Islamic habits, using the time to acquire knowledge that can be implemented in her daily life.
Moreover, if there is no regular Taleem in the home, she can also use this period to introduce and establish household Taleem, gathering the family for a regular session of beneficial Islamic learning. This can include reading from suitable Islamic books, discussing matters of faith and practice, teaching children basic Islamic knowledge, and encouraging the family towards righteous actions.
Conclusion: although certain acts of worship are suspended during menstruation, the period itself can be made highly productive. A woman can use these days for Dhikr, Duʿāʾ, Tawbah, Istighfār, Ṣalawāt, Ṣadaqah, acquiring Islamic knowledge, self-reflection, improving her character, fulfilling the rights of others, and establishing beneficial practices within the home. In this way, menstruation need not become a period of spiritual inactivity; rather, it can be an opportunity for sincere self-reformation and preparation to return to her regular acts of worship with renewed determination.
And Allah Taʿāla Knows Best.
Baba Abu Bakr
Student – Darul Iftaa
Accra, Ghana
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Muhammad Zakariyya Desai
