Short answer
No. Intercourse during a period or postnatal bleeding is haram by agreement of all the scholars. Closeness without intercourse is allowed. A couple who did it must make sincere tawbah (repentance), and the Hanafis recommend giving some charity as well.
Haram, and a major sin; it requires tawbah, and giving charity (one dinar or half) is recommended, not obligatory. On the relied-upon view of Abu Hanifa and Abu Yusuf, he may enjoy her body except the area between the navel and the knees without a barrier. Intercourse resumes after ghusl, or, if she reached the full 10 days, once the bleeding stops.
Other madhhabs
- Hanbali
- Only intercourse itself is forbidden; any other closeness, including between the navel and knees, is allowed. A kaffarah of one dinar or half a dinar is obligatory on the one who has intercourse during the period.
- Shafi'i
- Like the Hanafis on closeness; intercourse is allowed only after she has made ghusl, even at the end of the full period.
- Maliki
- Intercourse is allowed only after ghusl, even at the end of the full period.
Explanation
The Quran says menstruation is a harm, and tells husbands to keep away from their wives during it and not to approach them until they are pure. This means intercourse. In the time of the Prophet ﷺ some people would not even eat with a menstruating woman. He corrected that, and said: do everything except intercourse. So eating together, sleeping in the same bed, hugging and kissing are all fine.
The Hanafi detail on closeness: Aishah reported that the Prophet ﷺ would ask her to wear a waist wrap and then be close to her while she was menstruating. Based on this, Abu Hanifa and Abu Yusuf held that the husband should not touch the area between her navel and knees directly. This is the relied-upon position. Imam Muhammad held that only intercourse is forbidden, which is also the Hanbali view.
If it happened:
- Make sincere tawbah: regret, stop, and resolve not to return.
- The Hanafi books recommend giving charity, one dinar (about 4.25 g of gold) if it was at the start of the bleeding and half a dinar near the end, based on a report from Ibn Abbas. This is recommended, not required.
- There is no ghusl or kaffarah owed beyond this, apart from the normal ghusl after intercourse.
When it becomes allowed again: in the Hanafi school, if the bleeding stopped at the full 10 days, intercourse is allowed even before ghusl, though ghusl first is better. If it stopped earlier, wait until she has made ghusl or a full prayer time has passed. See rights of husband and wife.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:222
وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلْمَحِيضِ ۖ قُلْ هُوَ أَذًۭى فَٱعْتَزِلُوا۟ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فِى ٱلْمَحِيضِ ۖ وَلَا تَقْرَبُوهُنَّ حَتَّىٰ يَطْهُرْنَ ۖ فَإِذَا تَطَهَّرْنَ فَأْتُوهُنَّ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَمَرَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلتَّوَّٰبِينَ وَيُحِبُّ ٱلْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ ﴿٢٢٢﴾
And they ask you about menstruation. Say, "It is harm, so keep away from wives during menstruation. And do not approach them until they are pure. And when they have purified themselves, then come to them from where Allah has ordained for you. Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves."
Forbids intercourse during menstruation until she is pure.
Sahih Muslim 302
Sahih... اصنعوا كل شيء إلا النكاح ...
"Do everything except intercourse."
Shows that only intercourse is forbidden, not living normally together.
Sahih al-Bukhari 300
Sahih... وكان يأمرني فأتزر فيباشرني وأنا حائض ...
"He would tell me to put on a waist wrap, then be close to me while I was menstruating."
The basis of the Hanafi view on the area between the navel and knees.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Taharah, chapter on menstruation and istihadah. What is forbidden to the husband, and when intercourse resumes.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Taharah, chapter on menstruation. Tawbah is required and the charity is recommended.
- al-Mughni (Ibn Qudama), Kitab al-Hayd. Hanbali: only intercourse is forbidden.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.