What is the meaning of the hadith: “Allah does not accept the prayer of a menstruating woman except with a khimar (head covering)?”

Question : The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: , or as the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said. We ask for clarification of the hadith and its jurisprudence.

Answer : The meaning of the hadith is that Allah does not accept the prayer of a menstruating woman except with a khimar (head covering). By “menstruating woman” is meant one who has reached the age of menstruation. This is like the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): , meaning that she has reached puberty, even if she has not actually menstruated. Likewise, a menstruating woman cannot pray, but the meaning is that if a woman reaches the age of menstruation, Allah does not accept her prayer until she covers her head. This is what the scholars used as evidence for their statement that a woman’s awrah (part of the body that must be covered) in prayer is her entire body except her face. The face is not an awrah in prayer, but it is an awrah in terms of being looked at. Therefore, a woman must cover her face from all men except her husband and her mahram (relatives one may not marry).