What is the ruling on a menstruating woman, a woman in post-natal bleeding, and a person in a state of major ritual impurity touching the mushaf and reciting the Qur'an?

The questioner : As for reciting the Qur'an, a woman in post-natal bleeding, a menstruating woman, or a person in a state of major ritual impurity may recite the Qur'an and touch the mushaf, provided it is covered with dust, if Allah wills.

The Shaykh : As for the woman in post-natal bleeding and the menstruating woman, there is no issue; because in the Shari'ah, the woman in post-natal bleeding and the menstruating woman are in the same ruling as the person in a state of major ritual impurity. The person in a state of major ritual impurity is able to purify himself by taking a full ritual bath. So if he wants to recite the Qur'an and touch the Qur'an, first, he is able to take a full ritual bath; and second, that is better and more excellent for him. As for the menstruating woman or the woman in post-natal bleeding, she is not able to take a full ritual bath. So the one who wants to guide her has no way but to tell her to refrain from reciting the Qur'an, whether from memory or by reading from the mushaf, especially the woman in post-natal bleeding, and more specifically the woman in post-natal bleeding who lasts forty days. In that case, it would be a cause for prohibiting her from continuing her connection with her Lord through reciting the words of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). So here, it is necessary either to prohibit her from this connection, or to tell her: since you are not able to take a full ritual bath, recite. And this is what we say. Why? Because first, we do not have any Shari'ah evidence that prohibits a person in a state of major ritual impurity, whether male or female, from touching the Qur'an or reciting the Qur'an. The original ruling for things is permissibility, and this is a well-known rule in the principles of jurisprudence.
And second, there are some hadiths that confirm this rule. This is, as they say, light upon light. If there were not such hadiths, the rule would suffice us; because any scientific rule, when it is a true scientific rule, is based on Shari'ah evidence, not just on opinion or desire. So when no specific evidence comes in the Shari'ah prohibiting something, we refer to the rule for that thing. For example, among the rules is "the original ruling for things is permissibility," and "the original ruling for things is purity." Do you have these recorded items? A white thing, a black thing, and so on. Here, for example, the ink is red, perhaps on paper. Do you think these types are pure or ritually impure?

The questioner : Pure.

The Shaykh : I say it is pure, as our companion said. Perhaps someone might say, "Do you have evidence? Where am I to get evidence for it?" Thousands of types exist on the face of the earth, and humans deal with them, but we cannot say for each one, "This is pure and this is pure, and its evidence is such and such." But what is its evidence? The rule: "The original ruling for things is purity." Also, for example, is the mango halal or haram? Do you know the mango? Is eating the mango halal or haram?

The questioner : Halal (lawful).

The Shaykh : Bring a text. Where are we to get a text for you that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "The mango is halal to eat"? — he laughsThe Shaykh : Here, in the rules, the original ruling for things is permissibility. Now, let us return to our previous topic: the original ruling is that it is permissible for the person in a state of major ritual impurity, the menstruating woman, and the woman in post-natal bleeding to recite the Book of Allah. In fact, this is the best for them. When someone wants to say, "No, this is forbidden," we say, "Bring your proof if you are truthful." Since the proof has not come, we remain with the original ruling. Among the rules is "the original ruling is the innocence of the conscience." What does "the original ruling is the innocence of the conscience" mean? I accuse you of owing me one hundred dinars. I lent you one hundred dinars for the sake of Allah. The Shari'ah says: prove it, or the original ruling is that your conscience is innocent. When I prove that I have one hundred dinars with you, then I take my right; otherwise, the original ruling is the innocence of the conscience. These are very important rules. Among them is: what is the original ruling? Permissibility. In our issue, we have evidence that confirms this original ruling in this matter. For example, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) performed the Farewell Pilgrimage and they descended in a place called Saraf, near Makkah, because they were traveling in stages on mounts and naturally pitched their tents, . What does the pilgrim do? Does she enter the Sacred Mosque or not? Does she perform circumambulation? She performs circumambulation. He did not say to her, "Do not enter the Sacred Mosque." If he had wanted her not to enter the Sacred Mosque, would she have been able to perform circumambulation? No, she would not be able to perform circumambulation. But he did not want to prohibit her from entering the Sacred Mosque; rather, he wanted her not to perform circumambulation. And so he said, . So it is permissible for the menstruating woman to enter the Sacred Mosque. If it is permissible for her to enter the Sacred Mosque, is it not permissible for her to enter other mosques? It is even more permissible for her to enter them. This is an argument by a fortiori. Do you see that the pilgrim does not recite the Qur'an? She recites the Qur'an. So if it is permissible for her to recite the Qur'an by the explicit text of this hadith, and the original ruling for things is permissibility, then it is permissible for the menstruating woman and the woman in post-natal bleeding to recite. When she becomes pure, she performs the ablution, takes a full ritual bath, performs the ablution, and recites, that will be better for her.