Anas said that among the Jews, when a woman menstruated, they did not eat with her, and they did not live with such in their houses, so the Prophet's companions questioned him, and God revealed, "And they ask you about menstruation..." [Qur’an, ii, 222.] God’s messenger then said, “Do everything except sexual intercourse.” The Jews heard of that and said, “This man does not want to leave anything we do without opposing us in it.” Usaid b. Hudair and ‘Abbad b. Bishr came and said, ‘Messenger of God, the Jews are saying such and such. Shall we not then live with them?”* The face of God’s messenger underwent such a change that we thought he was angry with them; but when they went out they were met by a gift of milk which was being brought to the Prophet, and he sent after them and gave them a drink, whereby they knew that he was not angry with them. *i.e. with our wives. The word used in this tradition ordinarily refers to sexual intercourse, but it would seem that here and in the first sentence it rather expresses the idea being beside their wives during their periods.Muslim transmitted it.
Purification - Mishkat al-Masabih 545
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. This noble hadith from Sahih Muslim, transmitted through the companion Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), addresses a matter of great importance regarding marital relations during menstruation. The Jews of Medina had adopted extreme practices, completely isolating menstruating women from household life. When the Prophet's companions inquired about the proper Islamic stance, Allah revealed the verse: "They ask you about menstruation. Say: It is a discomfort; so keep away from women during menstruation and do not approach them until they are pure" (Qur'an 2:222).
The divine wisdom in this ruling demonstrates Islam's moderate path between extremes. While the Jews practiced complete separation, Islam permits all forms of intimacy except sexual intercourse. This reflects the compassionate nature of Islamic law, which acknowledges natural human needs while maintaining purity. The Prophet's clarification, "Do everything except sexual intercourse," establishes the boundaries of permissible interaction during this period.
The reaction of Usaid ibn Hudair and 'Abbad ibn Bishr illustrates the companions' concern for distinguishing Islamic practices from Jewish customs. The Prophet's visible change in countenance indicates his displeasure at the suggestion of adopting Jewish extremes. His subsequent gift of milk demonstrates his compassionate nature and clarifies that his displeasure was directed at the suggestion itself, not at the companions personally. This incident teaches us the importance of maintaining Islamic identity while treating questions with wisdom and compassion.