Struggling to get back to your normal praying routine after a consecutive 6-7 days break due to your feminine time of the month? Here’s what you can do!

Being a woman who menstruates every one week per month can be devastating when it comes to dealing with your daily prayers. You’re not only extra lazy after a week of continuous eating, sleeping, working or studying and doing everything else other than actually praying, but also because you’ve gone consecutive days of doing something else on the same timing you used to otherwise offer your prayers. What I used to do back then is utilize those spare hours by reading a book or watching YouTube videos which I later started regretting when I couldn’t help get myself easily back on track by keeping up with the basic five daily prayers. However, there are a few tips that later worked for me to get myself back to pray without lazying around:

1. Repeat & Recite the obligatory duas upon hearing the adhan:

The prophet Muhammad (SAW) has asked the believers to repeat after the Muezzin calling for prayers and ask dua for him as the one who asks blessings upon the prophet Muhammad (SAW) from Allah (SWT) shall receive 10 blessings in return. Hence, make sure you keep up with the five daily adhans, repeat and recite the duas while and after the calling for each prayer. This not only helps you gain more blessings but also keeps you connected with the timings of the five daily prayers without completely detaching yourself as a result of not being able to offer prayers. Keep in mind, you’re just not able to offer prayers but can obviously perform other acts such as doing dhikr and reciting duas that still keep you attached to Allah (SWT).

2. Wudu (Ritual washing):

Wudu has a lot of other advantages apart from being the ritual washing by Muslims before offering prayers. Scientifically its proven advantages include  prevention from Pneumonia, systematic diseases, microbial diseases and it also offers as a beneficial Reflexo therapy. Hence, make sure you don’t get rid of your Wudu-taking habit during your menstruating days. After reciting the duas upon the adhan, take wudu and also make sure you recite the necessary duas before and after performing wudu. This not only helps you in numerous health-based ways in keeping clean and preventing you from diseases that might otherwise affect you due to lack of cleanliness, but again, keeps you spiritually connected to Allah (SWT). You’re still connected to your praying times in other possible ways although you can’t offer your actual prayers. You’re not only utilizing your spare time in the best possible way of pleasing Allah (SWT),  but you also won’t feel very detached from your normal praying routine in this way which will help you get back to praying once you’re done with your menstruating days for the month.

3. Recite Quran:

A woman can recite the Quran while she is menstruating as there aren’t any clear saheeh reports that say it isn’t permissible for her to do so. On the other hand, in this modern era in which smartphones are highly being used, it won’t be that time-consuming or tough to download a Quran app and recite through the phone keeping in mind that a woman should only refrain reading the four Surahs that require sajdah (prostration) to be offered after reciting them.

They are:

• As-Sajdah (Verse 15),
• Fussilat (Verse 37),
• An-Najm (verse 62)
• Al-Alaq (verse 19).

Hence, right after taking Wudu, start reciting the Holy Quran. A page or two at the time of each prayer, which means you’ll recite 5 times as per the five daily prayer times. Again, this is keeping you connected to the prayer timings and your normal prayer routine without offering actual prayers. You are occupied in the best possible way during your ‘Not able to pray or fast’ time of the month.

These three methods really help you to not get completely detached from your normal prayer routine even though you don’t offer prayers.  I got hold of some good habits that not only helped me get back to praying easily after days of taking a break but also in the long run it helped me keep myself occupied in the best of ways that pleases Allah (SWT) to gain his blessings.