—or in a state of janābah (major ritual impurity after marital relations)—may not recite the Qur’an. The Prophet ﷺ used to refrain from Qur’anic recitation whenever he was in janābah, and menstruation is another form of major impurity that likewise bars a woman from reciting the Qur’an.

An exception is when she genuinely fears forgetting what she has already memorised. If a menstruating woman knows certain sūrahs—or even the entire Qur’an—and is afraid that a long period of bleeding will cause her to forget them, she may recite for review; this is a necessary concession, for abandoning recitation would lead to loss of her memorisation.

The same ruling applies to a female student whose Qur’an examination falls during her menses and cannot be postponed until after it ends. She may recite what the exam requires, because otherwise she would miss the test, fail the subject, and suffer harm. In both situations the permissibility rests on necessity. Allah knows best.

Healing with the Noble Qur’an

Question: What is the Islamic ruling on writing Qur’anic verses or one of Allah’s Most Beautiful Names, then washing the writing off with water and drinking it for healing or other benefit?

Answer: The patient—or the practitioner who treats people through the Qur’an—should, first and foremost, recite directly over the sick person, performing ruqyah by reading the Qur’an and blowing lightly upon him. This is more beneficial, more complete, and better, and it is what the Messenger ﷺ did and what the early generations practised. It is also permissible to recite over water and have the patient drink it; a number of hadiths attest to this practice.