Question # 132: Brother, if a woman finishes her menses, is she required to change/ wash her clothes, even if there are no blood stains on them?

bismi-llahi r-raḥmani r-raḥīm,

Assalamu ‘laikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

All praise and thanks are due to Allah (سبحانه و تعالى), and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم).

Dear questioner,

First of all, we implore Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) to help us serve His cause and render our work for His sake.

Shorter Answer: There is nothing wrong in putting on the same clothes that were worn during menstruation, so long as they are still clean and pure and none of the menstrual blood got on them. Further, as long as such clothes do not contain any najaasah (impure substance), it is also permitted to pray in them.

Long Answer: There is nothing wrong with a woman whose period has ended putting on the clothes that she was wearing whilst menstruating, so long as they are still clean and pure and none of the menstrual blood got on them.

But if some of the menstrual blood got onto the clothes, then the place where it is must be washed before praying in them. A woman came to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) and said: Menstrual blood may get onto the clothes of any one of us; what should she do with it? He said: “She should scratch it, then rub it with water, then wash it, then pray in it.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim).

[Further,] so long as the clothes she is wearing do not contain any najaasah (impure substance), she is permitted to pray in them, even if she was wearing them during her monthly period. The menstruating woman herself is not naajis, neither is her sweat. The Jews used to think this, but Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) stated that this was a lie, as is reported in the sahih hadith narrated by Muslim from Anas (رضي الله عنه):  “When one of their women menstruated, the Jews would not eat with her or sit with her in their houses. The Companions of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) asked the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) about this, and Allah revealed the words: ‘They ask you about menstruation. Say: That is an adhaa (a harmful thing for a husband to have intercourse with his wife while she is having her menses), therefore keep away from women during menses and go not unto them till they have purified (from menses and taken a bath)…’ (Soorah al-Baqarah, 2:222).

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said: ‘Do everything except have intercourse.’ Word of this reached the Jews and they said: ‘What does this man mean, in every issue he differs from us!’” (Sahih Muslim)

If the clothes get some menstrual blood on them, it is enough to remove the impurity with water and then she can pray in them.

(The above reply is based on various answers by Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid on the topic)

Allahu A’lam (Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) knows best) and all Perfections belong to Allah, and all mistakes belong to me alone. May Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) forgive me, Ameen.

Wassalaam