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Signs of Menstruation →
← Preface
A Conversation about Menstruation Rules
I was born into a religious family fourteen years ago. Thanks to the efforts of my father, and especially my mother, I was able to learn many of the rules of prayer and fasting after reaching the age of religious obligation. Whenever I had a question, I would ask my mother, and she would patiently answer each of my queries. My mother's pleasant demeanor increased my eagerness to learn new things day by day. Everything was going well until a few days ago when I suddenly felt severe pain in my side and back. After a few hours, some blood was discharged from my uterus. I was very worried, thinking I had some internal injury, but I was too embarrassed to share this with anyone. After the noon call to prayer, I performed ablution as usual, put on my prayer veil, and prepared to pray.
Noticing my condition, my mother smiled at me and said, "My dear, you've grown up now. It's time for us to talk about something important."
Surprised, I asked, "What is it?"
My mother calmly replied, "Your monthly period."
As soon as I realized what our conversation was about, I was overwhelmed with modesty and shyness. I recalled hearing this word before, usually at family gatherings; I had overheard women mention it quietly and with embarrassment as if it carried a negative meaning. I took a deep breath and asked myself, "Why should I be embarrassed? If it's something to be ashamed of, why does my mother want to talk to me about it?"
Lost in these thoughts, I suddenly heard my mother's voice saying, "Faṭimah:, please stop being shy and listen carefully to what I have to say. Usually, every girl experiences menstruation during her teenage years. This is a completely natural process and indicates good health, so there's no need to worry. The blood that usually exits a woman's uterus for a few days each month is called 'Ḥayḍ' (menstruation), and a woman during menstruation is referred to as 'Ḥāʾiḍ.' Nowadays, women often use other terms such as 'period' or 'menstrual bleeding' instead of Ḥayḍ. This blood discharge may be accompanied by symptoms such as abdominal pain, fatigue, anxiety, and back pain. Out of kindness, Allah, the Gracious, has exempted women from the obligations of prayer and making up missed prayers during the days of menstruation, so take some rest and feel free to ask me any questions you have about this."
Signs of Menstruation →
← Preface
Noticing my condition, my mother smiled at me and said, "My dear, you've grown up now. It's time for us to talk about something important."
Surprised, I asked, "What is it?"
My mother calmly replied, "Your monthly period."
As soon as I realized what our conversation was about, I was overwhelmed with modesty and shyness. I recalled hearing this word before, usually at family gatherings; I had overheard women mention it quietly and with embarrassment as if it carried a negative meaning. I took a deep breath and asked myself, "Why should I be embarrassed? If it's something to be ashamed of, why does my mother want to talk to me about it?"
Lost in these thoughts, I suddenly heard my mother's voice saying, "Faṭimah:, please stop being shy and listen carefully to what I have to say. Usually, every girl experiences menstruation during her teenage years. This is a completely natural process and indicates good health, so there's no need to worry. The blood that usually exits a woman's uterus for a few days each month is called 'Ḥayḍ' (menstruation), and a woman during menstruation is referred to as 'Ḥāʾiḍ.' Nowadays, women often use other terms such as 'period' or 'menstrual bleeding' instead of Ḥayḍ. This blood discharge may be accompanied by symptoms such as abdominal pain, fatigue, anxiety, and back pain. Out of kindness, Allah, the Gracious, has exempted women from the obligations of prayer and making up missed prayers during the days of menstruation, so take some rest and feel free to ask me any questions you have about this."
