At some point in a woman's life, she will begin to embark on a monthly cycle of menstruation for most of her teenage and adulthood years. During these cycles, Allah forbids her from performing her five daily obligatory prayers (namaz), entering mosques, reciting the Holy Quran, and fasting.
And that is why during Ramadan especially, menstrual cycles can become a trial as women may feel as if they are excluded from the blessings of Allah SWT. However, this is definitely not the case. After all, these natural courses of events are bestowed upon women by Allah SWT.
Having said this, here are a few ideas on how women can receive as much barakat (blessings) as possible during the last ten days of Ramadan, as Laylatul Qadr falls on one of these 10 days.
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While performing namaz and reading the Quran may be banned, there are still plenty of duas that women can recite as a form of worship during Laylatul Qadr. One dua in particular which we strongly encourage you to read is as follows:
اَللَّهُمَّ اِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ ، تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي
Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun, tuhibbul-‘afwa, fa’fu ‘anni
It translates to "O Allah, You are Most Forgiving, and You love forgiveness; so forgive me." Recite this as many times as possible and hopefully, Allah SWT will forgive you for all your previous sins.
Remember, Ramadan is the time of repentance. Thus, you should ask Allah SWT to forgive you for your sins and help you to keep away from committing any future infringements. You can ask also him for the health, safety, and wellness of you and your family and friends. Indeed, He is the most merciful and forgiving, and He is always listening.
While you are unable to touch or recite Quran while on your period, you can always still listen to its verses being recited. Thus, with the spare time you have accumulated from not having to pray, spend the time listening to others read the Quran. Perhaps, if you are a mother, you could take this opportunity to listen to your children recite the Quran and then guide them as they go along.
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Use the extra time and energy you have to cook for others, be it family, neighbors, close friends, or colleagues, during iftar or suhoor. Feeding those who fast is a form of worship, as it helps them to feel energized while fasting, which in turn brings you many rewards.
If you'd like to take it a step further, you could even cook up a large amount of food for your neighborhood mosque during iftar. Just imagine how many mouths you would be feeding and how many times your rewards would be multiplied! Now, if you'd like to up your game even further, you can recite Salawat on Prophet Muhammad SAW while cooking the food. Even by reciting just one salawat, Allah will write for you ten good deeds and erase ten of your bad deeds - Masya Allah.
Don’t waste your time. Spend it wisely by learning more about Islam and understanding what the Islamic faith is all about. Discuss your concerns with reliable Islamic teachers and clarify any aspects of Islam in which you feel confused or doubtful. Through this, you are being productive as this newfound knowledge you gain will most definitely serve to strengthen your faith as time progresses.
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Use this time to help others, whether it be to help your mom with the house chores or listen to your friends' woes. For instance, if you know of a young mother who is very stressed with her children, you can always lend her a helping hand by offering to babysit her kids.
Alternatively, you may also use this time to increase your charitable contributions as you research and choose a worthy cause that you and your family can contribute to, to obtain Ramadan's blessings. This is a good form of spirituality that will help you feel better about yourself in the long run.
If you're looking for a cause to donate to, consider #PledgeYourLunch – an initiative by HalalTrip in collaboration with UNHCR that aims to provide mutual aid to refugees who need a helping hand amidst the pandemic this Ramadan. #PledgeYourLunch today to help brighten lives, one meal at a time.
Another form of help includes volunteering. You can make use of this extra time and energy that you have to visit the aged and the sick so you can help them feel better and less lonely.
May we all have the motivation and perseverance to obtain all the infinite number of blessings and forgiveness from Allah SWT during Laylatul Qadr :)
Sakina has over 20 years of experience in the field of corporate communications; having worked for a leading Annual Report Production House dealing with top corporates of Sri Lanka and overseas, and later as the Group Communications Specialist for a Sri Lankan conglomerate for their overseas plantations business. She is well-versed in the production process of annual reports, sustainability reports, corporate videos and other corporate communication media. She also has experience in Social Media Marketing and works to increase and improve social media presence of corporates and small niche market businesses. Today, she works as a freelance writer and undertakes consultations on corporate communications and social media related projects. She enjoys writing for blogs on topics of interest.
