Women, Praying, and "That" Time
There seems to be a misunderstanding when it comes to women and praying in Islam. Specifically women praying during that specific time of the month. I am sure there are different answers people have come up with, and this is my understanding of the matter:
There are those who continue to insist and to try to convince people in saying that women in Islam are oppressed. This topic is one of their favourites. However, apart from those who are ignorant, there are those who truly are curious and attempting to better understand the inner workings of the religion. For those who are the latter, please read on.
There is a concept of something being najis in Islam. Najis is anything that is impure. As in, the animal pig and urine is najis, among other things. Does that mean that the animal is to be despised and treated like horribly? No. It is God's Creation and it serves a purpose on this earth, however you are not supposed to touch it and then go normally without cleaning yourself properly - because, well, just admit it: Pigs aren't the cleanest of animals. Same goes with urine, when it is on your clothes or on your body, you feel more than just inclined to wash yourself properly.
I know what you're thinking: Women during their menstruation are najis?!?!?! Really, does that makes sense? God Created us this way and then made us "impure." It's like blaming us for something that was given to us to begin with. Doesn't that horribly match the concept of original sin? People during the times of ignorance would banish the woman, not touch her, and make her feel extremely lousy. Islam, much thanks to God, brought us into the light.
The reason for a woman not being able to pray is that blood itself is najis as well. When it is on your hands or anywhere else, you compulsively feel the need to clean yourself, right? When Muslims pray and do certain acts of worship, they are required to cleanse themselves physically (and spiritually) by performing wudhu - which is a basic process that begins with washing your hands with water and ends with washing your feet. Afterward, we go on and pray. A body can not be cleansed and pure if it has anything najis on it.
Since the blood is najis, the women has something impure on her during those times so she can not perform those specific acts of worship. Again, that does not mean that women are najis, but that they can never completely fulfill the qualifications of wudhu, and since they can't help it and God created them this way, they are exempt from those acts of worship. And trust me, it's truly a blessing. Because if I had to bend down and stand up 8 times in five minutes, I would be wincing in pain and not a happy camper.
Muslim women are freely able to do informal prayers (not the ritualistic Islamic prayers that Muslims are seen doing in the mosque) and worship in other ways. If a man or a woman - without being in that state - cuts him/herself by accident and the blood has managed to drip from the wound, then the wudhu is invalidated and they must perform it again.
I hope this answered your concern. :) But of course, God knows best.
There are those who continue to insist and to try to convince people in saying that women in Islam are oppressed. This topic is one of their favourites. However, apart from those who are ignorant, there are those who truly are curious and attempting to better understand the inner workings of the religion. For those who are the latter, please read on.
There is a concept of something being najis in Islam. Najis is anything that is impure. As in, the animal pig and urine is najis, among other things. Does that mean that the animal is to be despised and treated like horribly? No. It is God's Creation and it serves a purpose on this earth, however you are not supposed to touch it and then go normally without cleaning yourself properly - because, well, just admit it: Pigs aren't the cleanest of animals. Same goes with urine, when it is on your clothes or on your body, you feel more than just inclined to wash yourself properly.
I know what you're thinking: Women during their menstruation are najis?!?!?! Really, does that makes sense? God Created us this way and then made us "impure." It's like blaming us for something that was given to us to begin with. Doesn't that horribly match the concept of original sin? People during the times of ignorance would banish the woman, not touch her, and make her feel extremely lousy. Islam, much thanks to God, brought us into the light.
The reason for a woman not being able to pray is that blood itself is najis as well. When it is on your hands or anywhere else, you compulsively feel the need to clean yourself, right? When Muslims pray and do certain acts of worship, they are required to cleanse themselves physically (and spiritually) by performing wudhu - which is a basic process that begins with washing your hands with water and ends with washing your feet. Afterward, we go on and pray. A body can not be cleansed and pure if it has anything najis on it.
Since the blood is najis, the women has something impure on her during those times so she can not perform those specific acts of worship. Again, that does not mean that women are najis, but that they can never completely fulfill the qualifications of wudhu, and since they can't help it and God created them this way, they are exempt from those acts of worship. And trust me, it's truly a blessing. Because if I had to bend down and stand up 8 times in five minutes, I would be wincing in pain and not a happy camper.
Muslim women are freely able to do informal prayers (not the ritualistic Islamic prayers that Muslims are seen doing in the mosque) and worship in other ways. If a man or a woman - without being in that state - cuts him/herself by accident and the blood has managed to drip from the wound, then the wudhu is invalidated and they must perform it again.
I hope this answered your concern. :) But of course, God knows best.