There are rulings that apply specifically to the menstruating woman, but she herself is not impure (najis), because the believer never becomes impure, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said. Being close to a menstruating woman does not mean that the one who wants to recite Qur’an should not do so. This is what ‘A’ishah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) speaks of in this hadith, in which she says that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to rest in her lap when she was menstruating. What is meant by the word translated here as resting is leaning on one side whilst sitting. It was also said that what is meant here is that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to put his head in her lap when she was menstruating, and whilst he was in that position, he would recite Qur’an; that did not prevent him from reciting. In this hadith we see how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) treated his wives kindly and paid attention to their condition. This hadith indicates that being close to his menstruating wife does not prevent a husband from reciting Qur’an, and the menstruating woman may listen to Qur’an without any reservations. It also indicates that the body of the menstruating woman and whatever she wears are both pure (tahir)..