Menstrual blood unclean?

Question

Can someone please explain to me why menstrual blood is considered unclean? I'm not trying to start a fight, I really just don't understand it. I know it says in the old testament somewhere that menstrual blood is unclean, so I'm not sure whether it's just a Christian belief or if it also holds true to Judaism and Islam, but can someone please explain it to me? We know that menstrual blood is the lining of the uterus that would be used to sustain an embryo in the event of pregnancy, so how can this be considered unclean? Please don't use biblical passages if they just say, "And the Lord said this was unclean." If it says WHY, please do include scripture. I'm looking for an explanation of why it's unclean, not just where it says it's unclean, because I just don't get it. Thanks!

Answer 1

Thanks for the question. This is Islamic point of view:

It is often difficult for a Muslim woman to understand why she is unable to make salah (ritual prayer) for five days or so. Many may feel that it is a limitation on them due to their gender. Others may misunderstand this, and think that they can not engage in any Islamic activities through the duration of their menses.

This is simply not so. Many women suffer from extreme cramps, heavy bleeding, nausea, headaches, and other maladies during their cycle. It is truly a sign of the mercy of Allah Almighty that we are excused from prayer during this time. I know more than one sister who would be unable to perform the physical duties of the prayer during her cycle.

In a hadith narrated Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri and Abu Huraira the Prophet said:

“No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari.)

When a Muslim woman reads this hadith she aught to be satisfied that Allah Almighty was not unjust with her, simply because she knows that through the days of menstruation she is to be rewarded for her patience on the fatigue she is experiencing. She will be rewarded as if she had done all her creedal duties without any loss.

On the other hand, Islam does not ask the Muslim woman to give up her spiritualities or pursuit of Islamic knowledge during this time either. While it is true that she cannot perform ritual prayers, Tawaf (circumambulation of the Ka`bah) and fasting; however, she is not prohibited from listening to tapes of the Qur'an, or from listening to someone else recite it. She may even recite the verses to herself silently. She can still pray, through du`aa’ (supplication), and can still repeat the praises of Allah Almighty (perform dhikr during this time as well. There is also nothing to stop her from reading Islamic texts outside of the Qur'an, including hadith.

These are some means by which you can keep the connection with Allah Almighty and I'm quite sure that you are to find other means. You just need to believe that the menstruation is a means by which a Muslim woman is to gain rewards from Allah Almighty.

Answer 2

This is stated in the Old Testament. That during the time a woman in menstrating, she is unclean and her husband is not to lay with her (have sex with her). This isn't just in Judaism but many other religions and many cultures around the world. In some countries, especially before people realized what a 'period' was, the women were to leave the village during this time and couldn't come back until she stopped bleeding. Some saw it as an omen because for a unknown reason blood was flowing from her. I don't know what today's Jews think about this but I know medically that during the time a woman has her period, she is fertile and if she has sex then, she can become pregnant. When you menstrate, your ovary is releasing another egg. It considered unclean because you are rather 'messy' during that week.

Answer 3

The Israelites also may have been reminded of the sanctity of blood by the Law’s regulations involving menstruation or blood flow.
It raised to a level of sanctity, teaching a high regard for the reproductive organs, and respect for the sacredness of life and blood. The hygienic benefits that accrued from scrupulous observance of these regulations have also been noted. But there is yet another aspect of the matter.

Christians are not under the Law and its cleansing requirements, even though such Law and its customs were still in force in the days when Jesus was on earth. (Joh 11:55) The Law had “a shadow of the good things to come”; ‘the reality belongs to Christ.’ (Heb 10:1; Col 2:17)

Hence, Paul wrote concerning these purification matters: “Yes, nearly all things are cleansed with blood according to the Law [Moses sprinkled the book, the people, the tent, and the vessels with blood], and unless blood is poured out no forgiveness takes place. Therefore it was necessary that the typical representations of the things in the heavens should be cleansed by these means.” “For if the blood of goats and of bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who have been defiled sanctifies to the extent of cleanness of the flesh, how much more will the blood of the Christ, who through an everlasting spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works that we may render sacred service to the living God?”—Heb 9:19-23, 13, 14.

Christians must, therefore, maintain a high standard of physical, moral, and spiritual cleanness, guarding against “every defilement of flesh and spirit.” (2Co 7:1)

Answer 4

This originates in Judaism based on a commandment in the Torah. It has nothing to do with being dirty or anything like that. Unclean is really a bad word to use. The Hebrew term really means "ritually unclean". Jewish men were considered ritually unclean and were forbidden to worship in the Temple if they had come in contact with the dead. During a woman's cycle, husband and wife were supposed to separate for 7 days in order to mourn for the life of a potential child that did not materialize.

Studies have shown that Jewish women who observe these laws, of not having sex during menstruation, have less cases cervical cancer than others.

Answer 5

Conservative and Orthodox Jews do believe that it is unclean. The women need to visit a mikvah (ritual bath) to purify themselves after menstruation and childbirth. They even need to bathe before the mikvah and remove all jewelery, etc.. During menstruation and the 7 days after, the woman is considered to be a 'niddah' and cannot come in physical contact with her husband. No hugging or kissing, no passing objects to each other.

I couldn't tell you why just that the Bible goes on and on about how everything a menstruating woman touches is unclean. It's not just a Christian thing but I know nothing about Islam.

Answer 6

I think when considering this you have to think about why God put certain restriction on things. For instant dietary laws. They did not have the same technology that we do today and there is a health concern with eating certain things (under cook meat, animal fat, etc). Part of the reason I think is because for cleanliness. They could run out and take showers every day in the wilderness. I also think it has to do with the blood being the source of life. Just a few thoughts.

Answer 7

Leviticus 15:19 "When a woman has a discharge, and the discharge in her body is blood, she shall be in her menstrual impurity for seven days, and whoever touches her shall be unclean until the evening.

As far as I know, this is the theological reason why a woman's menstrual blood was considered unclean. Look at this verse in the same passage.

Leviticus 15:16 "If a man has an emission of semen, he shall bathe his whole body in water and be unclean until the evening.

God is the living God of Heaven. Death is equated with sin. Both a man's emission of semen and a woman's menstrual blood are the building blocks of a new life that have perished. They represent life that never came to be.

Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned--

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Answer 8

Yes, it's considered unclean in Islam because it is not the same as blood from a cut or sore.
There is the lining of the womb, with discharge as well
which is considered unclean.

Answer 9

Well I cannot speak for the Abraham faiths but I know in Wicca it isn't considered unclean. In fact I have heard that some Wiccan women use it for magickal purposes as it is from them so it carries a lot of personal energy.

Blessed Be )O(

Answer 10

Back in Old Testament times, consider scarce water particularly in desert conditions, therefore more concerns over sanitation. You had to get all your fresh water for your family and all livestock from a well that must be dug--and hope it hadn’t been poisoned.

I think this explains the strict dietary and cleanliness laws, and circumcision.