Women's Issues in Ramadan

[Noor]

Women's Issues in Ramadan

Answers by Zienab Mostafa, A prominent Muslim Scholar and Da`iyah [islamonline.net]

Question:
I recently gave birth to a boy 3 months ago. I decided to have a ring fitted (coil) as I do not want to get pregnant as yet. Since I had this fitted in 3 weeks ago I have not stopped bleeding. I would be clean for a 2 days and start bleeding again. Before I had the ring fitted my normal bleeding would last about 8 days. I have been praying though as I think a month is a long time (started bleeding a week before the ring fitted). My question is: can I pray, fast and have sex with my husband after the 8 days? I have spoken to the doctor who advise this is normal & could take a few months to settled. Thank you.

Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.



All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear daughter, as for your question, you can pray, fast and have intimacy with your husband during the month and avoid that period of 8 days. As your doctor mentioned, you will be bleeding for few months until your body gets used to the coil and your system will be normal.



Allah Almighty knows best.

[Noor]

Question:
How can you prepare yourself and your family about Ramadan?

Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.



All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear daughter, Ramadan is a great opportunity to renew faith in our hearts. It is a good idea to prepare yourself and your family especially children to receive Ramadan.

Firstly, you can read with your family and make them feel that very precious days and nights are coming and that we have to open our hearts and be ready to appreciate fasting and the night Prayers (tarawih). It is very important as well to learn the manners of fasting and the values of living with the Qur'an and apply that in our life not only in Ramadan but all the year through.

You can prepare your children by making some decorations for Ramadan and buying special food like dates and having a calendar for the month of Ramadan where you can write a hadith or verse or mention one of the great companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). It is very important to have program for the children to behave Islamically and to collect points and to give prize to them at the end of the month.

Ramadan is a good chance to teach our children the seerah Islamic history; it is nice to study and live with the Battle of Badr and Opening of Makkah and Spread of Islam in Andalusia and other Islamic events that took place in this great month. Ramadan is the gift from Allah to strengthen our family bonds, to communicate with our kinship, neighbors, and people in general. Ramadan is a blessing from Allah and a change to teach our children how to be generous and give charity as Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do.

Ramadan is our yearly great events to re-build our self and strengthen our iman. May Allah guide us to the right path.

Allah Almighty knows best.

[Noor]

Question:
As-Salamu `alaykum. Is it true that when you fast, in order to keep your fast valid, one of the things you have to do is to prevent yourself from even smelling food? (I keep reading conflicting opinions on this which is confusing), plus it seems overly difficult to avoid such scents.

Answer:
Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.


In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.



All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

I think it is a good idea to ask about what is confusing you so you can learn about Islamic teachings. In the daytime of Ramadan, it is PERMISSIBLE to smell food, perfume and you can even taste the food without swallowing it. It is a good chance to start reading a good book about fasting. I recommend to you Fiqhu-sunnah by the late Sheikh Sayyid Sabiq, may Allah bless his soul.


Allah Almighty knows best.

[Noor]

Question:
A lot women I know who wear hijab and abide by the rules of hijab wear lipstick which is light in color in public. Some also wear foundation to even out their skin tone. They say that it is not attracting attention and, and no man will ever be close enough to see it. They wear it for themselves or because they have dry lips or for their husbands. Is this okay to do so?

Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.



All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear daughter, wearing make-up itself is not haram; it could be a problem if women wear it outside their home, in public. As for lipstick which use a remedy for dry lips and that which has no color, it is not permissible to use it.

Some women have problems with their skin. If they try to cover these spots as a remedy, it is also allowed. The main point is to review our intention and to be frank with ourselves: do we need to beautify ourselves in public? Or we just want to look as normal people. It is a very sensitive point and if we know the wisdom and real significance of hijab and if we are confident enough about external appearances, we will not pay lots of attention for make-up.

Allah Almighty knows best.

[Noor]

Question:
As-Salamu `alaykum. If a woman has to go to the women's doctor during the month of Ramadan while she fasts, would her fast be acceptable? May Allah reward you.

Answer:
Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.


In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.



All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

If this woman is ill or suffering from any disease she can see a female doctor and this does not break her fast because it is considered to be a case of necessity.



Allah Almighty knows best.