Is it permissible for a menstruating woman to perform sa'y (walking between al-Safa and al-Marwah) voluntarily, and is she considered to be worshipping Allah through this act?

Question:
Is it permissible for a menstruating woman to perform sa'y (walking between al-Safa and al-Marwah) voluntarily, and is she considered to be worshipping Allah through this act?

Answer:
No, tawaf (circumambulation of the Ka'bah) is not permissible except with ritual purity, just as prayer is not permissible except with ritual purity. It is not known that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performed tawaf without ritual purity. When he finished tawaf, he would immediately pray, which indicates that he was in a state of wudu' (the ablution for prayer) and performed tawaf in a state of wudu'. It is not known that he performed tawaf without wudu', despite his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): "Tawaf around the House is prayer, except that you speak in it." Even if it is said that there is a point of consideration regarding its attribution to the Prophet, and that it is mawquf (a report stopping at a Companion) on Ibn Abbas, it is mawquf in the ruling of marfu' (a report traced to the Prophet), because Ibn Abbas could not have said this based on his own opinion. "Tawaf around the House is prayer"—Ibn Abbas could not have said this based on his own opinion except that he heard it from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Its chain of narration to Ibn Abbas is authentic, but its attribution to the Messenger of Allah is a matter of consideration. However, if it is mawquf on Ibn Abbas, it is in the ruling of marfu'.