11 January 2007

The Bible and the Quran agree: Stay away from menstruating women

But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right, and hath not ... come near to a menstruous woman.... Ezekiel 18:5

They question thee (O Muhammad) concerning menstruation. Say: It is an illness, so let women alone at such times.... Quran 2:222

Finally, a topic upon which Muslims, Christians, and Jews can fully agree! Women are unclean when menstruating and men should stay the hell away from them.

Here's what the Bible has to say. (A women who is menstruating is unclean and should be kept away from everyone else for seven days. Whatever she touches or sits on is unclean. Whoever touches a such a women is unclean. Whoever touches her bed is unclean. Whoever touches anything that she sits on is unclean. And anyone who has sex with a menstruating woman is really unclean -- unclean for seven days.)

And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even. And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean. And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. And if it be on her bed, or on any thing whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it, he shall be unclean until the even. And if any man lie with her at all, and her flowers be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean. Leviticus 15:19-24

The Bible goes on and on about this, but I think you get the idea. Finally the woman is allowed back into society, when on the eighth day she goes to the priest and sacrifices two pigeons or two doves ("turtles" in the KJV) as a "sin offering" -- "an atonement for her before the LORD for the issue of her uncleanness."

But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean. And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for her before the LORD for the issue of her uncleanness. Leviticus 15:28-30
Other passages in the Bible also address menstruation, but this is one of the few topics upon which the Bible speaks consistently and clearly. (Except for the punishment of having sex with a woman during her menses.)
Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness. Leviticus 18:19

And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness, and shall uncover her nakedness; he hath discovered her fountain, and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood: and both of them shall be cut off from among their people. Leviticus 20:18

In other places, the Bible refers to menstruation in ways that show how God sees it.
Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee: for the custom of women is upon me. Genesis 31:34-35

Thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth. Isaiah 30:22

Jerusalem is as a menstrous woman. Lamentations 1:17

They humbled her that was set apart for pollution. Ezekiel 22:10

The Quran says it all in just one verse, but it is in complete agreement with the Bible.

They question thee (O Muhammad) concerning menstruation. Say: It is an illness, so let women alone at such times and go not in unto them till they are cleansed. And when they have purified themselves, then go in unto them as Allah hath enjoined upon you. 2:222

Menstruation is a sickness. Menstrating women are unclean. Stay away from them while they are menstruating. And, for God's sake, don't have sex with them!

14 comments:

beepbeepitsme said...

Men are only interested in blood if they cause someone else to shed it.

(Ok, I will go and take my HRT tablet now..)

Anonymous said...

hey you should find someone who knows arabic to translate that for you. It means youre supposed not to have sex with women when they are menstruating, not literally run away from them:)

Anonymous said...

your site seems to have few links about the Quran I guess more skeptics than muslims visit:) Could you add this one http://www.answering-christianity.com/jesus_in_islam.htm
cheers!

Anonymous said...

"They question thee (O Muhammad) concerning menstruation. Say: It is an illness, so let women alone at such times and go not in unto them till they are cleansed. And when they have purified themselves, then go in unto them as Allah hath enjoined upon you."

'Illness' in this sense does not mean 'illness' literally. It means that the blood is a discomfort and dirty - and indeed, I'm sure most women would agree that their period blood isn't exactly the cleanest thing in the world.

'not go unto them' simply means to not have sex. In other words, men are forbidden to have sex with women until they've finished menstruating. And that's all the line means.

Therefore, only Christianity belittles women in this manner.

I apologize if this should disappoint you, but Islam and Christianity do NOT agree on this topic.

Unknown said...

I love all the Muslim Apologists posting here.

The Arabic translation demeans women far worse than the English translation. They don't like to mention that.

GOD, ALLAH, "THE LORD"... NONE of them exist! It's terrifying to see you people trying to defend your vile delusions. More terrifying is the fact that there are BILLIONS of you!

You are all hurting us as a species. NO GOD = LESS SUFFERING!

Get a clue, people!

Kris said...

Russia is NOT in Europe. Regardless, it is a religious nation as is most of Europe, so that nulls your point there. Being more clear: Russia=Orthodox and Europe=Lutheran.

Dye said...

Actually primative man has always feared menustrating women.Te Native Americans have stories about the many toothed virgina.So even the the Qur'an and bible lack these stories thier taboos r still based on ancient fears.

salina said...

christains include all the unclean sex acts. while on the other hand ppl in Arab before Islam use to sociallly cut women when they had their menstration so much so that they even refuse to eat foood cooked by them .


when Islam came all the these acts ended . as Islam gave a middle way interm of cleanliness and also interm of protecting anybody 's right .

this is the Islamic Veiw of menstration :-
Men can't have sex with their women during Menses, but they can sleep with them and touch them: "They ask you concerning menstruation. Say: that is an Adha (a harmful thing for a husband to have a sexual intercourse with his wife while she is having her menses), therefore keep away from women during menses and go not unto them till they have purified (from menses and have taken a bath). And when they have purified themselves, then go in unto them as Allah has ordained for you (go in unto them in any manner as long as it is in their vagina). Truly, Allah loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves (by taking a bath and cleaning and washing thoroughly their private parts, bodies, for their prayers, etc.). (The Noble Quran, 2:222)"

Maimuna (the wife of the Holy Prophet) reported: "The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) contacted and embraced his wives over the waist-wrapper when they were menstruating. (Translation of Sahih Muslim, The Book of Menstruation (Kitab Al-Haid), Book 003, Number 0579)"


thus u can love them , sleep with them , hold them just don't have sex during the time .

truth said...

Anonymous your a liar. because if if you continue to the next verse 2:223 Your wives are as a tilth unto you; so approach your tilth when or how ye will; but do some good act for your souls beforehand

you can do what you want to your wife...but do somthing God for all first so that when you abuse or approach your wife how you want, you will not be punished for your behaviour towards her. it is the bible that mentions nothing about sex but the quran does. the quran is a directly plagurised from the bible with a few changes here and there and dont forget it

Yasir Niaz Khan said...

There are many accounts of Prophet Muhammad touching his wife during this period. Only intercourse is forbidden:

(Sahih Muslim):
Chapter# 1, Book 3, Number 0577:

‘A’isha reported: When anyone amongst us (amongst the wives of the Holy Prophet) menstruated, the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) asked her to tie a waist-wrapper over her (body) and then embraced her.

Book 3, Number 0578:

‘A’isha reported: When anyone amongst us was menstruating the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) asked her to tie waist-wrapper daring the time when the menstrual profusely flowed and then embraced her; and she (‘A’isha) observed: And who amongst you can have control over his desires as the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) had over his desires.

Book 3, Number 0579:

Maimuna (the wife of the Holy Prophet) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) contacted and embraced his wives over the waist-wrapper when they were menstruating.

Book 3, Number 0580:

Kuraibthe freed slave of Ibn Abbas, reported: I heard it from una, the wife of the Apostle of Allah (way peace be upon him): The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) used to lie with me when I menstruated, and there was a cloth between me and him.

Book 3, Number 0581:

Umm Salama reported: While I was lying with the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) in a bed cover I menstruated, so I slipped away and I took up the clothes (which I wore) in menses. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Have you menstruated? I said: Yes. He called me and I lay down.

Ref: http://www.hadithsahihmuslim.com/prophet/lying-with-one-in-menstruation-above-the-waist-wrappersahih-hadith-muslim.html

snabby said...

Menstrual blood is not unclean, it's the lining of the womb being shed, the womb carries babies, protects them and insulates them from almost all infections. http://www.medicinenet.com/menstruation/article.htm (or just look it up anywhere)
As for the argument about the Quran, how is, menstruation is "a discomfort and dirty" not offensive to women? I'm offended.
Also, it is certainly not harmful for a man to be exposed to his wife's menses. And if he did have sex with her during this time maybe he wouldn't need to take another wife to satisfy him.
And, why would God create women in such a way that is so offensive to Him and men? He is all-powerful, all-knowing, I'm sure He could have figured out a way to make men's wives less gross to them. I also noticed no one offered an interpretation of 2:223 that won't make me ill (and I don't mean in that monthly way)

Unknown said...

Sadly, the Bible does quote many times about childbirth and subsequently periods are products of Eve's sin - they are God's punishment upon women. Because periods are "punishment," they are therefore "unclean" and people freak out over a little punishment so everything a menstruating woman touches is unclean. It's also in the bible that women must go through a cleansing phase after giving birth because birth is punishment and unclean Three days for male babies and two or three weeks for a female.

In some cultures, long ago, it was believed that menstruating women had magical powers. A perfectly natural assumptions we BLEED FOR A WEEK WITHOUT DYING. AND we give birth. We are amazing creations and nothing should keep us down.

I entirely hate these patriarchal beliefs and the fact that periods are somehow a source of shame- this biblical taboo lingers in our modern perception of periods as well as advertisements for them. THIS SHIT IS THE REASON WOMEN HIDE TAMPONS IN THEIR SLEEVES INSTEAD OF WIELDING IT AROUND LIKE A WAND, LIKE THE FUCKING WIZARDS WE ARE.

Periods are a sign of health. Of the fact that we are in working and fruitful order. AND that we aren't pregnant. Huzzah to the period!

P.S. if your girl wants you on he period, no shame because you're doing a damn good deed.

becoming conscious said...

Old testament and Koran are out dated, people lived in unhygienic world. But Jesus was touched by a bleeding woman, end of ignorance. In modern world women go on wearing tampons

Steve Wells said...

What lies are you referring to, sszorin?