Women sometime wonder why they are restricted from some daily acts of worship during 'that time of month'! Unfortunately, we can sometimes shift away from our religion because we are prohibited from praying, touching or reciting the Holy Qur'an, or fasting during our menses. The restriction of Salat is given to us as follows, "A menstruating woman cannot perform Salat" (Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud).

Due to these restrictions, we can often feel as though we are unable to grow spiritually, or be the recipient of the Allah's blessings that come with these acts. However, I hope that this post helps you understand the steps you can take to please and worship Allah during your time away from the regular acts of worship.

Sometimes, we can get so caught up in the fact that we are unable to fast or pray during our menses, that we forget that they are a sign of a healthy woman. Don't forget that your body is functioning as Allah has willed for it to function. Be grateful for this!

Let's take a step back for a second. All Muslims know that praying Salat is incumbent upon every Muslim because Allah has made it the sole purpose of our lives. Moreover, by obeying Allah, and praying Salat we can be rewarded!

Similarly, when Allah tells us woman NOT to pray at an appointed time, we can obey Him and be the recipient of the same blessings. Allah has allowed women to take this time off, because our energy levels are low. We are told not to pray our Salat, BUT can still be rewarded as if we had prayed! This should make us even more grateful to our Creator, and the Mercy He has on us!

Oftentimes, when women reach the end of their menses, they may truly miss that time they would have spent praying Salat or reading the Qur'an, causing them to come back to these acts with even more fervor! This too is a blessing.

OTHER MEANS OF WORSHIP
Worshipping our Creator is not limited to praying our Salat, reading Qur'an, or fasting. Allah has developed many means for us to draw closer to Him through other acts of devotion:

1) Make Dhikr
Whilst on your menses, make dhikr day and night, and glorify Allah. Contemplate over His magnificence and all that He has created. However, be sure to remember Allah with your heart, and not just verbally! You can say:

• Astaghfirullah
• SubhaanAllah
• Alhamdulillah
• Allahu Akbar
• Sub-haan'Allahi wa bi-hamdihi sub-han'Allah-il adheem

2) Say Du'a, Taubah, and Istighfar
Women can turn to Allah and pray to Him or repent! The place of dua is so high in front of Allah that the Prophet (pbuh) said: "Nothing is more honourable to Allah the Most High than Dua." So while taking part in your day to day activities, you can still repent, and say prayers verbally or in your heart, without needing to perform Salat.

3) Study Books & Gain Knowledge
Remember, that Islam stresses that, "Seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim (male and female)". This is why, women can take this time to read Islamic books and increase their knowledge of Islam and Islamic history! If you would like to stick with the routine of your five daily prayers, so that the transition back to your prayers is not difficult, try reading a few pages of an Islamic book during the time you would normally pray Salat.

4) Listen to the Holy Qur'an
During the time of day in which you would normally have read the Holy Qur'an, perhaps you can take 5-10 minutes to listen to it instead. Listening to the recitation of the Qur'an is a great way for you to calm your heart and feed your soul. By listening to the translation and commentary as well, we can study its deeper meanings. This will also give you something to reflect on throughout the day!

5) Watch Lectures
When your body is tired and achy, what better way to relax then laying down and watching an Islamic Program? This in itself is an act of worship and can bring you closer to Allah, if done for His sake.

Thus, we must remember that a woman's devotional acts do not have to decrease while on her menses. If she so wills, she can continue with her devotion and worship of Allah through other means! Allah has not prohibited you from worshipping Him through Salat because He doesn't want you to worship. Instead, Allah has showered His mercy upon women, knowing the pain that women go through during their menses, and that the physical performance of Salat would be difficult to do.

Islam is a religion that brings ease into the lives of its followers. It has a response to every question, and a method for every type of scenario. If, Allah had not made it evident that women are exempt from praying Salat whilst on their period, this would have started a debate among all Muslims. Women who were in extreme pain, and unable to pray, would be looked down upon if they missed their prayers. Thus, Allah has made our lives easier, and we should be very grateful for this!

May we all realize how blessed we are to be women and continue to show our gratitude to Allah, Ameen!