5 Steps to Staying Positive During Menses in Ramadan
Feeling down during Menses or post-natal bleeding in Ramadan is a common struggle many Muslim women face. We are surrounded by people who are busy in their acts of worship; either rushing off to the Masjid for Taraweeh (extra prayers), waking up for suhoor before starting their fast, doing lots of Sunnah prayers, reading Quran, and so on. In fact, most women will spend some time during Ramadan in a state of Menses or post-natal bleeding. The most important thing to remember is that our Menses and post-natal bleeding are part of Allah’s creation. Allah said in the Quran:“We have certainly created man in the best of stature.” (Surah at-Teen, Verse 4)Also, ‘Aisha said:
We proceeded with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ with no other intention but that of performing the Hajj. As I was at Sarif or near it, I entered in the state of menses. The Apostle of Allah ﷺ came to me and I was weeping, whereupon he said, “Are you in a state of menses?” I said, “Yes.” Whereupon he said, “This is what Allah has ordained for all the daughters of Adam…” (Muslim)So how do we keep our spirits high and positive during this time? Follow these 7 steps to make this Ramadan your best so far.
Step 1: Make Your Intention
For every single act, you do during the month of Ramadan (and after it) make the intention of doing it for the sake of Allah. In every way that you help your family: making Suhoor, preparing Iftar, cleaning their clothes, helping with homework – everything you do in your day, make the intention that it’s for the sake of Allah. Narrated ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab: I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) saying,“The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended…” (Bukhari)
Step 2: Make Constant Dhikr and Istighfar.
For example: *Narrated Abu Hurayrah: Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ) said,“Whoever says, ‘Glory is to Allah and all Praise is to Him,’ one hundred times a day, will be forgiven all his sins even if they were as much as the foam of the sea.” (Bukhari)*Abu Hurayrah said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me:سُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ
SubhaanAllaahi wa bihamdih “Glory is to Allah and all Praise is to Him”
“Be frequent in saying: ‘There is no might nor power except by Allah’. For verily, it is a treasure from the treasures of Paradise.’” (Tirmidhi)*Narrated Abu Hurayrah: Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said,لا حَوْلَ وَ لا قُوَّةَ اِلَّا بِاللّهِ
Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illaa billaah “There is no might nor power except with Allah”
”Whoever says one hundred times in a day: ‘Laa ilaaha illallaahu wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu wa huwa ‘alaa kulli shay-in qadeer’, he will get the same reward as given for freeing ten slaves, one hundred good deeds will be written in his account, one hundred sins will be deducted from his account, and it will be a shield for him from Shaytaan on that day till night; and nobody will be able to do a better deed except the one who does more than he.” (Bukhari)*Abu Hurayrah said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying,لا اِلهَ اِلَّا اللّهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَرِي كَ لَهُ ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَ هُوَ عَلَى كُلِّشَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Laa ilaaha illallaahu wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu wa huwa ‘alaa kulli shay-in qadeer “There is no god but Allah Alone, Who has no partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He is able to do all things”
“I swear by Allah that I seek Allah’s Pardon and turn to Him in repentance more than seventy times a day.” (Bukhari)*The Prophet (ﷺ) said,
“The best supplication for seeking forgiveness is to say Syed-ul- Istighfar. Whoever says it during the day with firm faith in it, and dies on the same day before the evening, he will be from the people of Paradise; and if somebody recites it at night with firm fath in it, and dies before the morning, he will be from the people of Paradise.” (Bukhari)اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّى ، لاَ إِلهَ إِلاَ أَنْتَ ، خَلَقْتَنِى وَ أنَا عَبْدُكَ وَ أنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ ما اسْتَطَعْتُ ، أعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِ مَا صَنَعْت ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَىَّ وَ أبُوءُ بِذَنْبى فَاغْفِرْ لِى فإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
Allaahumma anta Rabbee, laa ilaha illaa ant, khalaqtanee wa anaa ‘abduka wa anaa ‘alaa ‘ahdika maas-ta-ta’at, a’oodhu bika min shari maa so-na’at, aboo-u laka bini’a-matika ‘alayya wa aboo-u bi-dhanbee fagh-fir-lee fa-innahu laa yagh-fir-udh-dhu-nooba illaa ant “O Allah! You are my Lord! None has the right to be worshipped but You. You created me and I am Your slave, and I am faithful to my covenant and my promise as much as I can. I seek refuge with You from all the evil I have done. I acknowledge before You all the blessings You have bestowed upon me, and I confess to You all my sins. So I entreat You to forgive my sins, for nobody can forgive sins except You.”
Step 3: Make Du’a at all the Special Times Throughout the Day
Following are just some examples, but you will find there are many more you can recite. *Immediately before sleeping or after waking make the prescribed Du’a: Hudhaifah and Abu Dharr reported: Whenever the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went to bed, he would supplicate:“Bismika-Allahumma amutu wa ahya (With Your Name, O Allah, I die and return to life)”; and when he woke up, he would supplicate thus: “Al-hamdu lillahilladhi ahyana ba’da ma amatana, wa ilaihin-nushur (All praise belongs to Allah Who has restored us back to life after causing us to die; and to Him shall we return).” (Bukhari)*After Fajr and before Maghrib: ‘Uthman bin ‘Affan reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said,
“He who recites three times every morning and evening: ‘Bismillahil-ladhi la yadurru ma’as-mihi shai’un fil-ardi wa la fis-sama’i, wa Huwas-Sami’ul-‘Alim (In the Name of Allah with Whose Name there is protection against every kind of harm in the earth or in the heaven, and He is the All-Hearing and All- Knowing),’ nothing will harm him.” (Abu Dawud and At- Tirmidhi)*When you Hear a Rooster: Abu Hurairah narrated that: The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
“When you hear the crowing of the roosters, then ask Allah of His bounty, for verily they have seen an angel. When you hear the braying of a donkey, then seek refuge in Allah from Shaytan, [the rejected] for, verily, it has seen a shaytan.” (Tirmidhi)*Recite the parts of Quran that are also classed as Du’a. ‘Abdullah bin Khubaib reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me,
“Recite Surat Al-Ikhlas and Al- Mu’awwidhatain (Surat Al-Falaq and Surat An-Nas) three times at dawn and dusk. It will suffice you in all respects.” (Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi)Narrated Abu Hurayrah: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
“…When you go to your bed, recite Ayat-al-Kursi, (2.255) for then there will be a guard from Allah who will protect you all night long, and Satan will not be able to come near you till dawn.” (Bukhari)Narrated Abu Mas’ud Al-Ansari: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
“Whoever recites the last two Ayat of Surat Al-Baqarah during the night, they shall suffice him.” (Tirmidhi)
Step 4: Listen to Islamic Lectures or Read Islamic Books
There are so amazing lectures available online which motivate and increase your love of Allah. Listen to them while you’re cleaning, driving, or just about any time throughout the day. Treat yourself to a special Islamic book and put aside time to read it. This is worship, too. Enjoy it and know that you’re being rewarded for it.Step 5: Wake up for Qiyyam (Night Prayers)
Even if you are menstruating or have post-natal bleeding, it’s still a great opportunity to seek closeness to Allah. Wake up an hour before you need to make Suhoor. Do any of the above, or just spend time making specific du’a. Narrated Abu Hurairah: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying:“Our Lord who is blessed and exalted descends every night to the lowest heaven when the last one-third of the night remains, and says: Who supplicated Me so that I may answer him? Who asks of Me so that I may give to him? Who asks My forgiveness so that I may forgive him?” (Abu Dawud)And don’t forget the most powerful du’a to make during the last 10 nights of Ramadan: ‘Aishah reported: I asked: “O Messenger of Allah! If I realize Lailat-ul-Qadr (Night of Decree), what should I supplicate in it?” He (ﷺ) replied, “You should supplicate: Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun, tuhibbul-‘afwa, fa’fu ‘anni (O Allah, You are Most Forgiving, and You love forgiveness; so forgive me).” In sha Allah, if you implement all of these steps during Ramadan, not only when you have your Menses, but all the time,they will become a habit which you will continue into the future. May Allah bless you during this Ramadan and make it your best one yet!