Hadithcore
Sahih Muslim, 302
sahih

Thabit narrated it from Anas:

Among the Jews, when a woman menstruated, they did not dine with her, nor did they live with them in their houses; so the Companions of the Messenger (ﷺ) asked The Messenger (ﷺ), and Allah, the Exalted revealed:" And they ask you about menstruation; say it is a pollution, so keep away from woman during menstruation" to the end (Qur'an, ii. 222). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Do everything except intercourse. The Jews heard of that and said: This man does not want to leave anything we do without opposing us in it. Usaid b. Hudair and Abbad b. Bishr came and said: Messenger of Allah, the Jews say such and such thing. We should not have, therefore, any contactwith them (as the Jews do). The face of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) underwent such a change that we thought he was angry with them, but when they went out, they happened to receive a gift of milk which was sent to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He (the Prophet) called for them and gave them drink, whereby they knew that he was not angry with them.

وَحَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا ثَابِتٌ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّ الْيَهُودَ، كَانُوا إِذَا حَاضَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ فِيهِمْ لَمْ يُؤَاكِلُوهَا وَلَمْ يُجَامِعُوهُنَّ فِي الْبُيُوتِ فَسَأَلَ أَصْحَابُ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى ‏{‏ وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْمَحِيضِ قُلْ هُوَ أَذًى فَاعْتَزِلُوا النِّسَاءَ فِي الْمَحِيضِ‏}‏ إِلَى آخِرِ الآيَةِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏

‏ اصْنَعُوا كُلَّ شَىْءٍ إِلاَّ النِّكَاحَ ‏

‏ ‏.‏ فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ الْيَهُودَ فَقَالُوا مَا يُرِيدُ هَذَا الرَّجُلُ أَنْ يَدَعَ مِنْ أَمْرِنَا شَيْئًا إِلاَّ خَالَفَنَا فِيهِ فَجَاءَ أُسَيْدُ بْنُ حُضَيْرٍ وَعَبَّادُ بْنُ بِشْرٍ فَقَالاَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ الْيَهُودَ تَقُولُ كَذَا وَكَذَا ‏.‏ فَلاَ نُجَامِعُهُنَّ فَتَغَيَّرَ وَجْهُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى ظَنَنَّا أَنْ قَدْ وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِمَا فَخَرَجَا فَاسْتَقْبَلَهُمَا هَدِيَّةٌ مِنْ لَبَنٍ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَرْسَلَ فِي آثَارِهِمَا فَسَقَاهُمَا فَعَرَفَا أَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ عَلَيْهِمَا ‏.‏

References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 3, Hadith 16
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Book 3, Hadith 592 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
Islam honored women more than any other civilization or system. It granted her rights, status, and a respected opinion. In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik narrated that the Jews, who were living in Medina before the Prophet's advent, used to leave eating or living with menstruating women, believing that they were impure. The Companions asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about how to treat women during this period, so Allah revealed, "They ask you concerning menstruation. Say, 'That is a harm,' therefore keep away from women during menses and go not to them till they are purified. And when they have purified themselves, then go into them as Allah has ordained for you. Truly, Allah loves those who turn to Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves." (Al-Baqarah: 222) The meaning is a Muslim has to avoid intercourse with his wife during her menstruation period which is a harm. After her blood stopped and she performed a complete bathing, he was allowed to have intercourse with her in the way that Islam has permitted i.e. penetrating one's penis into her vagina, not her anus. At the end of the verse, Allah confirmed that he loved those who frequently repent and purify. Then, the Prophet (ﷺ) permitted them to do everything like kissing, embracing, etc. during this period except intercourse. Above all, a Muslim can live and eat with them during this period. In Sahih Muslim, Aisha said, "I would drink when I was menstruating then hand it (the vessel) to the Prophet (ﷺ) who would put his mouth where mine had been then drink. I would eat flesh from a bone when I was menstruating then hand it to the Prophet (ﷺ) who would put his mouth where mine had been." When the Jews knew about the Prophet's guidelines, they said, "This man does not want to leave anything we do without opposing us in it." Both the two companions, Usaid Ibn Hudair and 'Abbad ibn Beshr came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and informed him about the Jews' comment. Due to their anger with the Jews, they asked the Prophet (ﷺ) to oppose the Jews' habit and have intercourse with menstruating wives. Thereupon, the Prophet's face changed to the point that the attending companions thought he was angry with them both, for his teachings were to clarify Allah's laws in this case not to agree nor contradict any sect in Medina as they both thought. After they went out, he feared that they were sad about what happened. To remove any difficult feelings, he asked them to come back to drink the milk that he received as a gift. Therefore, they knew that he was not angry with them. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies the Prophet's forbearing and kindness to his companions, (2) It shows that the Prophet (ﷺ) is only angry when facing something that contradicts Allah's teachings, and (3) It confirms that all Islam's teachings are from Allah..
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