Period of menstrual bleeding is not a nice time for any woman, it is painful, it is boring, and women are emotionally drained during that time.
And it is ok, it is a part of a woman’s biology, it is natural.
Mood swings are a normal part of PMS and are caused by changes in the concentration of hormones in the body.
Irritability and sensitivity are normal phenomena at this time of the cycle, but if feelings of deep sadness, depression, anxiety or panic attacks occur – it is important to contact a doctor.
But, more or less this is all perfectly normal for one woman.
For these times, women have been using different items, and even nowadays, there are various products for women, and all of them are used abundantly.
Tampons are one of those items that are used, and commercials have convinced us that they are the best product when we have our periods and we want to move, and do not fear stains.
It is a choice that every woman should take on her one, and there is nothing that is ok or not ok, it is more about personal preference and a personal choice.
Now, for women who belong to the Muslim faith, things are not as simple, having in mind that the Islamic faith considers menstrual blood as impure, and women are not allowed at that time to perform some of their religious or family duties.
So what about wearing tampons during this period?
Is it halal or haram?
This is something that we could say that it is obvious even if there are some limitations, that come from primarily the fact that the menstruation period is seen as impure, and that the woman of Muslim faith cannot participate in some of her obligations as a believer.
Are Tampons Haram or Halal In Islam?
The menstrual cycle is a very complex sequence of events consisting of a large number of closely coordinated activities.
The ultimate goal is to create and offer an egg station for fertilization, prepare the uterus for the implantation of a fertilized egg, and the rest of the reproductive system for the transport of gametes, i.e. reproductive cells.
For the majority of women, the menstrual cycle lasts 6 or 7 days, and the period of purity is 23 or 24 days, but it also happens that it lasts more or less than that.
Many Islamic scholars have the opinion that a woman’s monthly cycle lasts the shortest of night and day and the longest of 15 days.
Some even say that in fact, we could not say that there is the shortest or longest limit, but whenever menstrual blood appears with its known attributes, it is considered menstruation, regardless of whether it lasts long or short.
And, we already know that the Islamic faith forbids women who have
menstruation to pray, both mandatory and voluntarily, and if she were to pray, her prayer would not be right.
Now, what happens when she is in front of the choice of what kind of sanitary item to use at this moment, what is ok according to the Muslim faith?
Are there any limitations in this regard?
This is a kind of gray area – we cannot say that it is allowed or that is not.
We can say, that according to the Muslim faith, it is allowed to use cotton to prevent the discharge of menstrual blood.
So, if this is said, then we could say that it is ok to use tampons when a woman has menstruation.
Have in mind that the tampon is made out of a material that is absorptive as it is made to be sanitary and it is made out of cotton.
Using pads is one of the options, but so many women opt for tampons for their convenience, and it is a great option when a woman goes swimming for example.
So there are no Hadiths related to this topic.
But, we can freely say that the usage of tampons in Islam is not forbidden, and it is not seen as a sin.
This is because when a woman uses a tampon then it is wrong to think that she will lose her virginity.
There is no banning on using a tampon according to the Islamic faith. Tampons are seen as halal.
Some Islamic thinkers say that using a tampon is loathed in the worst way, but it is not something that is seen as a sin.
These scholars say that tampons are opposed because they are put into private parts.
In Quran we can find words that explain – The Prophet has said that it is ok for a woman to utilize cotton to stop the menstrual blood.
If the discharge of blood is serious then he is told to do something to collect the blood, with the cotton pad, or something similar.
This indicates it is acceptable to utilize absorptive fabric like cotton to stop the menstrual blood.
If the blood flow is extremely heavy in these moments it is also permitted to ‘plug it with cotton’.
Are tampons taboo in Islam?
For some, they are, as in some parts of the world where the Islamic community lives, it can be seen as a taboo, and ladies of this faith avoid it.
Periods are a very genuine function that all females have to go through in their lives when puberty hits, and it stops in menopause.
In fact, it is wrong to think that there is something disgraceful about having a period.
Nor is it disgraceful to use items to collect blood from a period, this is also something that should be seen as normal.
In fact, it is awarding to utilize sanitary items because period blood is unclean according to this faith, and something that collects that blood, is not, as it serves as a helping aid.
So it is essential that this blood is collected as much as attainable.
And when you collect this blood you are awarded by the Almighty Allah for keeping yourself as clean as it is possible.
And here come the tampons as one of the best ways a woman can use to keep herself clean and pure.
Some Muslim women do not like to use tampons, as they see it as taboo, and they do not want to lose their virginity and break the hymen; as this is something that is put into the vagina directly.
In many Muslim societies around the world – a young woman is not regarded as a virgin if her hymen is not untouched before she is married.
So there is nothing to worry about, even if it is possible to break a hymen with a tampon, even based on the Islamic laws that a woman will be seen as a virgin.
More about tampons
The first records of the use of tampons date back to the 15th century BC. Back then, Egyptian females used papyrus rolls during menstrual flow.
In old Greece, parts of the wood were used wrapped with remnants of cotton yarn or unspun fibers.
Roman women utilized wool tampons.
In ancient Japan, women used paper tampons, secured them so they wouldn’t fall out, and altered them 10-12 times in just one day.
Hawaiian women as a part of their tradition used the furry parts of the local fern, and different types of grass, mosses, and different plants are still used in parts of Africa and Asia.
The name itself, tampon, presumably comes from the word tampon, which in Spanish means closure or plug.
Various Latin languages have a similar word, so in Italian tape indicates plug, and in French, the word tampion represents a cap that is put on a rifle or cannon to shield it from moisture and dust.
However, tampons began to be commercially made in the 1920s. However, as society was always fairly conservative, they did not meet with a large response due to the delicate subject matter for advertising and the awkward situation women found themselves in when shopping. Don’t forget that at that time it was still quite familiar to wear a reusable cloth pad, which women washed and preserved themselves.
It is even fascinating to note that commercial sanitary napkins were one of the first derivatives for “self-service” in America, to avoid contact with men who worked in pharmacies and thus enable ladies to purchase them.
Although tampons are more practical than pads, doctors emphasize that they should be used with caution due to the risk of toxic shock syndrome. Although very rare, this syndrome is most often detected in women who used high-absorbency tampons during menstruation.
Here are some common rules for the safe usage of tampons – you should put them carefully, and do not suddenly push them into the vagina because you can damage the mucous membrane.
This can be really hard and these women should not use them if they feel uncomfortable when they wear them.
If it bothers them, take them out immediately.
For those ladies who want to use them, they should use them interchangeably with cotton pads.
It is also important to change them often, and when we say often we mean every 2-3 hours; and it is not recommended to wear them during the night.
Conclusion
We have said that there are many limitations on women who have their periods – they cannot fast, and if they do during these moments it would not be the correct way.
If she gets up in the morning, after dawn, and notices that her period has stopped, then she takes a bath and neglects her fast, her fast that day will not be correct, but if her menstruation stops before dawn, and then she neglects it, her fast will be correct.
A woman who is menstruating is forbidden to stay in a mosque or masjid.
In the time when a woman is menstruating, it is forbidden to have intimate relations with her.
A husband is not allowed to divorce a woman who is in her monthly cycle.
If he were to grant a divorce to a menstruating woman, in that case, he would be sinful and obliged to repent to Allah Almighty.
Regarding the conclusion of a marriage contract, it is permissible to conclude a marriage contract with a woman while she is menstruating, because the basis is the permissibility of that, and there is no evidence for the prohibition of the aforementioned.
When a woman’s period stops, she must take a bath, by washing the whole body.
Putting a tampon inside of a vagina, is in fact, suggesting inserting the cotton inside the private part to hold the menstrual blood.
Nevertheless, it is essential to mention that a tampon is inserted a lot deeper inside the vagina.
This is the reason some Islamic thinkers say that tampons are not seen as something pure, but they are not haram.
Tampons are not forbidden in the Islamic faith, but in some cases, they are seen as something that is for the most part not liked.
Despite the fact that the usage of a tampon is halal, we can say that some of the women of the Islamic faith do not like to use them based on the existing cultural taboo.
But if they want to use it, they could.
Some Muslim women do not like to use tampons, as they see it as taboo, and they do not want to lose their virginity and break the hymen; as this is something that is put into the vagina directly.
They have fears that they would lose their virginity, but this is simply not the case, and even the Islamic faith does not look it that way.
Menstruation is something that is natural.
A woman during those times has some other religious limitations – she should wait until the bleeding stops altogether, for as many days as your period usually lasts, especially if it happened before the bleeding and after the third day or a shorter break.
The shortest menstruation period is 3 and the longest is 10 days. Everything within that period is thought to be her period, regardless of time intervals without blood.
Brown discharge at the beginning and at the end of menses is also considered part of menstruation.
Therefore, the menstruation time is estimated from the first appearance of blood in the usual period of the month when you get your period until it stops completely until white discharge appears, you must not fast on those days and you are obliged to fast on them afterward.
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