"A woman asked 'Aishah: 'Should a menstruating woman make up the Salah she misses? She said: 'Are you a Haruri? [1] We used to menstruate during the time of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) but we did not make up the missed Salah nor were we commanded to do so.'"[1] Meaning are you one of the Khawarij. Harura is a place associated with a group of the Khawarij.
Hadith Commentary: The Book of Menstruation and Istihadah
This narration from Sunan an-Nasa'i 382 contains profound legal and theological implications regarding the status of prayer during menstruation.
Legal Ruling Analysis
The response of Umm al-Mu'minin 'Aishah establishes the consensus that menstruating women are exempt from performing obligatory prayers and are not required to make them up afterward.
This exemption is based on the principle that menstruation constitutes a legitimate legal excuse ('udhr shar'i) that temporarily suspends the obligation of prayer without creating a debt that must be repaid.
Historical Context and Theological Significance
'Aishah's reference to "Haruri" connects this question to the theological deviations of the Khawarij, who were known for extreme positions and excessive rigorism in religious matters.
Her response demonstrates how the Mothers of the Believers preserved and transmitted the authentic Sunnah, correcting innovations that contradicted the established practice of the Prophet's time.
Scholarly Consensus
This hadith forms the foundation for the unanimous position of all four Sunni schools of jurisprudence that menstruating women do not make up missed prayers.
The ruling applies equally to all forms of ritual impurity that prevent prayer, establishing a consistent legal principle across various states of ritual incapacity.