Question:
I am going for Umrah and will enter Makkah during Haidh. What will I have to do?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
In such a scenario where woman is on her monthly cycle, she will still have to put on Ihraam from the Meeqaat and will enter Makkah in Iḥraam ,but she will be unable to perform her Umrah as purity is a condition for Ṭawaaf.
If the woman enters into Iḥrām at Mīqāt, whilst she is in the state of menstruation or her menstruation begins before she is able to perform Umrah, it is necessary for her to wait for her menstruation to finish and perform Umrah thereafter. It is not permissible to perform Umrah in the state of menstruation.
The woman will enter into her Iḥraam for Umrah but not read her 2 RakꜤah Salaah for Ihram. She will enter Makkah and wait until her monthly cycle is completed and becomes pure. She will have to wait in the state of Ihraam, while observing all the prohibitions of Ihraam. Then she will do Ghusl and enter Ihraam then go out to Masjid Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) outside of Makkah, perform the 2 Rakaats for Ihraam then proceed for her Umrah, complete her Ṭawāf, Saʿī, cut her hair, and come out of the state of Iḥrām.
Whenever possible, the planning of the days of Ḥajj/Umrah is essential beforehand. A woman is not allowed to perform the Ṭawāf of the KaꜤbah while she is on her monthly cycle. The days of Ḥajj are fixed and cannot be changed, however the pilgrim can decide when she wants to enter Makkah and perform her Umrah, and this should be done while she is not on her monthly cycle, so she can perform the Ṭawāf.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best.
Mufti Arshad Ali
Darul Iftaa, Jaamia Madinatul Uloom (Trinidad)
