Can a woman pray during her period?
No. During her period, and during postnatal bleeding after childbirth, a woman does not pray, and the missed prayers are not made up afterwards. She also does not fast, but missed Ramadan fasts are made up later. When the bleeding ends she takes a ghusl and returns to prayer.
By Benjamin · Last updated
Step by step
- When the bleeding begins. Stop praying. This is not a failure or a sin: it is a mercy from Allah, and you are rewarded for following it.
- While it lasts. You can still make dua, remember Allah with dhikr, listen to the Quran and keep learning.
- When it ends. Take a ghusl, the full ritual bath, then pray the next prayer as normal.
- After Ramadan. Make up any fasts you missed during Ramadan before the next Ramadan. The prayers are not made up.
What this covers, and what it does not
- Excused: menstruation and postnatal bleeding after childbirth.
- Not excused: other bleeding, such as irregular bleeding outside the period. Prayer continues as normal.
- Prayers missed during the period are not made up. Fasts missed in Ramadan are.
What you can still do
- Dua, in any language, at any time.
- Dhikr, such as SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah and Astaghfirullah.
- Listening to the Quran and reading about it.
- Learning: the Revertly app lets you mark an excused day, so nothing is counted as missed.
Reciting the Quran
Scholars differ on reciting the Quran from memory and on touching a printed copy during the period. Listening to it is allowed by all. If this matters to you, ask a local scholar or the imam of your mosque which view they follow.
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Common questions
Do I need to make up the prayers I missed during my period?
No. They are excused completely, and there is nothing to make up.
Do I make up missed Ramadan fasts?
Yes. Fasts missed because of the period are made up on other days before the next Ramadan.
Can I go to the mosque?
Schools differ on staying inside the prayer hall during the period. Many women join gatherings in other parts of the mosque.
What do I need to do when my period ends?
Take a ghusl, the full ritual bath, and then pray as normal.
Practise it with audio
Revertly walks you through this with a recitation for every word, at your own pace. Can't afford the app? Ask for a free code.