An Analysis of the Legal Provisions of Entering the Mosque for Menstruated Women

Abstract

There are some main prohibitions placed upon the menstruating woman in Islamic Law. One of these prohi- bitions mentioned in classical books is known that women cannot enter the mosque while they are menstruating. However, there are many fatwas given that women can enter the mosque when they are menstruating, especially today. In this paper, we investigate the question of the permissibility of entering a mosque for menstruating women according to Islamic law. Our paper consists of three main chapters. After establishing a general framework, in the second chapter, we will shortly discuss the positions of all four Sunnī schools of law on this issue. Also in the second chapter, we will especially present the related opinions of the members of the Shāfiī school of law, as they include detailed issues in this regard and gave the basis for the fatwas given in the modern period. Finally, we will elaborate on the general framework and revisit contamporary positions with their supporting proofs and arguments. Thereby we will offer a systematic examination of the juristic ruling of entering a mosque for menstruating women.