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English translation
289. It was narrated that Anas said: "When one of their womenfolk menstruated, the Jews would not eat or drink with them, nor mix with them in their houses. They asked the Prophet of Allâh ﷺ about that, and Allâh the Mighty and Sublime revealed: They ask you concerning menstruation. Say: That is an Adha (a harmful thing)."[2] So the Messenger of Allâh ﷺ commanded them to eat and drink with them (menstruating women) and to mix with them in their houses, and to do everything with them except intercourse. The Jews said: 'The Messenger of Allâh ﷺ does not leave anything of our affairs except he goes against it.' Usaid bin Ḥuḏair and 'Abbâd bin
Bishr went and told the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ and they said: 'Should we have intercourse with them when they are menstruating?' The expression of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ changed greatly until we thought that he was angry with them, and they left. Then the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ received a gift of milk, so he sent someone to bring them back and he gave them some to drink, so they knew that he was not angry with them."
(Sahih)
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Footnotes
1
[1] Al-Baqarah 2:222.
2
[2] Al-Baqarah 2:222.
Commentary
1. The Jews' treatment of their menstruating women was extremely humiliating, as has preceded. They virtually considered women to be untouchables for as long as they remained in a state of menstruation - so much so that they segregated their places of residence. On the other hand, the Christians did not differentiate between a menstruating and a non-menstruating woman. They would even have sex with women in their state of menstruation. Islam, which is the religion of moderation, adopted a middle course. It neither debased them to the lowly state of inferiority, nor allowed men to have sex with them. And that, without a doubt, is the right and the best way.
2. Since the Prophet's ﷺ anger was against one bad course of action, and not against these Companions, he called them back and gave them milk to drink.
