By “Are you special? Me too!”
Those were words too often said by my middle school self and my middle school friends. Back when we were in an Islamic school and Zuhr time rolled around, we’d all go make wudu in the bathroom. That is, unless one of us was “special.”
See, “special” was our code word, passed down to us from a staff member herself. Being “special” meant you were on your period and didn’t need to pray or fast. (Forgive me, my lovely friends I met back in middle school for making this public knowledge…but ya’ll know we have more code words that are super top secret ;))
So this is a post to give a nod to all those special girls out there. Ramadan is here, and if you’re special at this moment or expect to be special before the month is over—don’t fret. It tends to be a downer when you’re totally in sync with that fasting routine and all of a sudden…you need to break it and take some time off while everyone around you is on this amazing spiritual high. Remember that everything is from Allah, and His timing is superb whether we understand it or not. Just because you can’t fast or pray doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from this month of mercy! There are a whole lot of special things you special girls can still do!
Listen to Qur’an
While you’re not supposed to touch the Qur’an or recite while you’re special, you can still listen! Get your laptop and search your favorite surah on YouTube to hear some beautiful recitation. My favorite videos are the ones that display the translation as the Arabic is being recited. Like this:
Do Dhikr
A lot of my teachers suggest that when it’s time for prayer, do wudu and sit at your prayer mat. You obviously can’t pray, but spend that time you would’ve taken performing salaah to remember Allah and reflect instead. The options (and rewards—everything is multiplied in Ramadan!) are endless…
Whoever says,‘SubhanAllahWabihamdih,’100 times a day,will be forgiven all his sins even if they were as much as the foam of the sea Bukhari
— ISLAM freedom ♻ (@islamicfreedom) June 20, 2015
Sallallahu alayhi wasallam If you read that you got 700 blessings, 700 rewards, 700 Jannat levels, 700 sins forgiven, because it is Ramadan
— Mufti Abdur-Rahman (@MuftiARM) June 19, 2015
La ilaha ilallah wahdahu la sharekalahu lahul-mulk walahul-hamd wahuwa ala kuli shayin qader X100 = +100 Deeds -100 Sins Freeing 10 slaves
— ابو حذيفة (@Ibn_Adam95) December 21, 2012
You can also make istighfar at this time. Not only for yourself, but on behalf of all believers. When you expand your istighfar to include the entire ummah, your reward will be equivalent to the number of Muslims in the world! (Tabarani)
Prepare Iftar
Get iftar ready for the rest of the members of your family who are fasting. If you can’t get the reward by fasting yourself due to you being special, share in their reward! Remember the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever feeds a fasting person will have a reward like that of the fasting person, without any reduction in his reward.” [At-Tirmidhi]
Make Du’a
You can always raise your hands and speak to Allah. He is and always will be there for you. He knows exactly what you need, when you need it. Never gonna not quote this verse…
“And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me—indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.” (Qur’an 2:186)
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why arent you allowed to recite while on your period? or to touch the Koran? that does n’t make sense to me. isnt it suppose to be accessible to everyone? why not women on their periods….?