Regarding a lady’s question about menstruating women coming to sit in the mosque or reciting the Holy Quran during menstruation, Huzooraa, in his letter dated 13 March 2019, gave the following instructions:
“There has been a difference of opinion regarding these two issues among fuqaha [jurists] and other scholars. Esteemed elders of the faith have also given various responses to this matter based on their understanding of the Quran and the ahadith. Likewise, in terms of Jamaat literature, there are different answers from Khulafa-e-Ahmadiyyat and [therefore] from scholars of the Community.
“In light of the Holy Quran, the ahadith of the Holy Prophetsa and the instructions of the Promised Messiahas, my position regarding the recitation of the Holy Quran by menstruating women is that a woman can repeat the previously memorised portions of the Holy Quran by way of zikr [i.e. remembrance and reflection] in her heart during menstruation. Moreover, she can, if necessary, also hold the Holy Quran using a clean piece of cloth and can read out a portion of it in order to provide someone with a reference or to teach it to children. However, she cannot recite it as is done in the regular manner.
“Likewise, a woman is not allowed to recite the Holy Quran in the regular manner during menstruation using computers etc. even though she would not be physically holding the Holy Quran. However, she can read the Holy Quran on computers etc., for instance, to search for a reference or to provide someone with a reference. There is no issue with that.
“During menstruation, a woman can go to the mosque to fetch something or to put something there, but she cannot go and sit there. Had this been permissible, why would the Holy Prophetsa instruct menstruating women who used to participate in Eid [sermon and dua] to stay away from the prayer area? Thus, women are not allowed to sit in the mosque in that condition.
“If a woman comes to the mosque in this state, or a girl comes to the mosque with her mother in such a state, or if someone suddenly starts menstruating, then in all these cases, such women and girls are not allowed to sit in the prayer areas of the mosque. Instead, arrangements should be made for them to sit in a place where no prayers are offered.”