that is voluntary and has no specific occasion during the prohibited times. Prayers tied to specific occasions are different: of the two scholarly views, the one better supported by the evidence is that they are permissible because of the need to perform them. If one does not perform them then, the opportunity to do so and their benefit will be lost. This is unlike unrestricted voluntary prayer, whose opportunity is not lost. Fasting falls into this latter category: there is no fast she might observe that cannot be observed during days when she is free of menstruation. This is why a woman experiencing non-menstrual bleeding is permitted to fast and pray.

As for prayer, if it were permitted during menstruation, menstruation would never prevent prayer at all. Menstruation is something women regularly experience, as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to ‘Ā’ishah:

“This is something Allah has decreed for the daughters of Adam.”

Had the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, permitted women to pray while menstruating, prayer during menstruation would have become like prayer when free of menstruation. If all other acts of worship were then permitted, menstruation would cease to be an impediment, even though major and minor ritual impurity remained impediments. This would be a grave contradiction. If acts of worship lesser than prayer were forbidden while prayer itself were permitted, this too would be contradictory.

Moreover, she has no need to pray during menstruation, since the prayers she offers when free of menstruation—which is most of the time—suffice her without praying during her menstrual days. She has, however, been granted permission to do what she needs, such as reciting the talbiyah (pilgrimage invocation), remembering Allah, and supplicating.

Nevertheless, she has been instructed to bathe, just as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, instructed Asmā’ to bathe upon entering the consecrated state for pilgrimage, when she had given birth to Muhammad ibn Abī Bakr. He also instructed women generally to do this, and instructed ‘Ā’ishah, when she began menstruating at Sarif,