to bathe and enter the consecrated state for Hajj. Thus, he instructed her to bathe despite menstruating in order to enter that state. Yet he permitted a menstruating woman to recite the talbiyah, stand at ‘Arafah, supplicate, and remember Allah without bathing or performing ablution. Doing so is not disliked for her, whereas it is disliked for someone in major ritual impurity to do so without purification. This is because she needs to do these things, and neither bathing nor ablution has any effect on her continuing state of ritual impurity. Her bath upon entering the consecrated state is different: it is a bath for cleanliness, like the bath taken for Friday prayer.

For this reason, should dry purification be performed in place of such baths when water is unavailable? There are two views within Ahmad’s school. Likewise, there are two views on whether dry purification should be performed for the deceased when washing the body is not possible. This is unlike bathing to remove major ritual impurity or performing ablution to remove minor ritual impurity. Nevertheless, she was not instructed to bathe upon entering Mecca or standing at ‘Arafah. Since she was forbidden to pray while menstruating, but was permitted to remember Allah without this even being disliked, the distinction between what she needs and what she does not need becomes clear.

If it is said:

“Other forms of remembrance are permissible for those in major or minor ritual impurity, so there is no prohibition in that.”

The response is:

A person in major ritual impurity is prohibited from reciting the Quran. It is disliked for him to give the call to prayer or deliver a sermon while in that state, to sleep without performing ablution, or to perform the pilgrimage rites without purification when he is able to purify himself. Likewise, someone in minor ritual impurity is encouraged to purify himself before remembering Allah Most High, as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “I disliked mentioning