and its people, and from impurity as well, just as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, commanded that water be poured over the spot soiled by the Bedouin in the mosque of Madinah. The obligation to purify it from physical impurity does not entail that one circumambulating the House must be free from ritual impurity. Were this entailed, we would have to say that a person must purify himself before entering the Sacred Mosque, even if he does not intend to perform tawaf. Moreover, if that were the case, it would contradict the Prophet’s saying, peace and blessings be upon him: “The believer does not become impure.” (1) It would also require that one observing spiritual retreat be free from ritual impurity.

As for the hadith of Aishah and the hadith of Safiyyah, may Allah be pleased with them both, the reason is not the absence of purification; rather, it is that a menstruating woman is not permitted to remain in the mosque. This does not entail that purification is obligatory for tawaf. Hence, the stronger view is that if a woman is compelled to perform the tawaf of ifadah while menstruating, it is permissible for her to do so. However, she must take precautions against anything that may defile the mosque, by securing a protective cloth around her private area so that the blood does not flow and contaminate the mosque.

This is the view that brings reassurance to the heart: freedom from minor ritual impurity is not a condition for tawaf. Yet it is undoubtedly better, more complete, and more faithful to the Prophet’s practice, peace and blessings be upon him. A person should not neglect it, due to the fact that the majority of scholars hold it to be required. But at times a person may be compelled to adopt the view held by Shaykh