Can I Memorise Quran During Periods?

Many Muslim sisters who are actively memorising the Quran reach the same difficult question every month: what happens to their Hifz during their period? Lessons are scheduled, a teacher is waiting, and progress has momentum — yet the rules around menstruation and Quranic recitation are rarely explained clearly enough to act on with confidence.

The answer is not a single ruling. It depends on which scholarly position a woman follows, and it is more permissive than many sisters assume. Understanding the distinctions between verbal recitation, silent review, phone-based reading, and physical Mushaf contact allows every sister to make an informed and confident decision about her Hifz journey throughout the month.

Can I Memorise Quran During Periods According to Scholarly Opinion

The question of whether a sister can memorise Quran during periods has been addressed by scholars across all four major Sunni schools. Their positions differ, and each rests on established textual evidence:

The Hanafi school holds that verbal recitation of the Quran is not permitted during menstruation, whether for worship or memorisation. Silent review in the heart, without moving the lips, is considered permissible. A teacher or student may also recite broken segments with deliberate pauses for instructional purposes, which scholars do not classify as full recitation.

The Maliki school permits verbal recitation during menstruation, particularly for a woman who is memorising or teaching the Quran. This position draws on the principle that prolonged menstruation creates genuine hardship, and the Quran itself states: “Allah does not intend to make difficulty for you.” Scholars of this school distinguish between ritual recitation and the recitation of a student who must review to avoid forgetting.

The Shafi’i and Hanbali schools generally prohibit verbal recitation but permit silent review without lip movement, as well as listening to Quranic audio.

The Hanafi and Maliki positions represent the two main approaches a sister following orthodox Sunni scholarship will encounter. Both are legitimate, both have authenticated scholarly chains, and a woman may consult a qualified scholar to determine which applies in her situation.

Allah says:

” اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ ” 

Yurīdullāhu bikumu l-yusra wa-lā yurīdu bikumu l-ʿusr

 “Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship.” 

Surah Al-Baqarah: 2:185

Touching the Physical Mushaf During Menstruation Is Prohibited

All four major Sunni schools agree on one ruling without dispute: a woman in a state of menstruation may not touch the physical Mushaf directly. This ruling is grounded in the Quranic verse:

لَّا يَمَسُّهُ إِلَّا الْمُطَهَّرُونَ ‎﴿٧٩﴾”

 Lā yamassuhu illal-muṭahharūn 

“None touch it except the purified. (79).” 

Surah Al-Waqi’ah: 56:79

Scholars also cite the letter of the Prophet ﷺ to the people of Yemen, reported by Imam Malik and authenticated by Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr:

“لَا يَمَسُّ الْقُرْآنَ إِلَّا طَاهِرٌ”

 “no-one should touch the Qur’an unless he was pure..” 

Muwatta Malik: 468

This ruling applies to the physical Mushaf only. It does not extend to Quranic text displayed on a digital screen, as scholars make a clear legal distinction between the two.

For sisters continuing their Quran Hifz for Ladies in the UK  at UK Quran Learning Academy, understanding this distinction removes a major source of unnecessary confusion. Sessions involving Quranic text on screen may continue without interruption throughout the month.

Start your Quran Hifz for Ladies in the UK at UK Quran Learning Academy

Reading Quran on a Phone During Menstruation Is Permitted

Contemporary scholars, including those affiliated with Al-Azhar and major Fiqh councils, have ruled that reading Quranic text from a phone or digital device during menstruation is fully permissible. 

A smartphone is a multi-purpose device, and text displayed on its screen is rendered through electronic signals rather than physical inscription.

The legal reasoning is consistent across scholarly bodies: the classical prohibition on touching the Mushaf was built around the sanctity of the written, dedicated physical copy. A phone displaying Quranic text does not meet this definition. Scholars have specified:

• A menstruating woman may open a Quran application and read freely.
• Touching the phone while Quranic text is displayed does not carry the ruling of touching a Mushaf.
• Wudu is not a condition for using a digital device to read Quran, though it remains recommended as a general act of spiritual preparation.

This ruling is practically significant for any sister asking can you memorise Quran on your period. Phone-based recitation and revision are fully available throughout the cycle, without any scholarly disagreement.

Step Inside Our Virtual Classrooms

See how our interactive lessons work. Watch these brief highlights of our students engaging with instructors.Step Inside Our Virtual Classrooms

See how our interactive lessons work. Watch these brief highlights of our students engaging with instructors.

Read Also: Memorizing Quran by Listening

Listening to Quran During Menstruation Carries No Restriction

There is complete scholarly consensus that listening to Quranic recitation during menstruation is not only permitted but encouraged. No school of jurisprudence restricts this in any form. Listening to the Quran carries full spiritual reward, fulfils the Quranic command to pay attention when the Quran is recited, and actively supports memorisation retention.

Allah says:

“وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ وَأَنصِتُوا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ ‎﴿٢٠٤﴾‏” 

Wa-idhā quriʾa l-Qurʾānu fa-stamiʿū lahu wa-anṣitū laʿallakum turḥamūn

 “So when the Qur’an is recited, then listen to it and pay attention that you may receive mercy. (204).”

 Surah Al-A’raf: 7:204

For a sister memorising Quran, listening during the days of menstruation serves a specific retention function. The brain reinforces memorised material through repeated acoustic exposure, even without active verbal repetition. A sister who listens to her memorised portions daily during her cycle returns to verbal review with stronger retention than one who pauses all engagement entirely.

Enrolling in the Quran Classes for Sisters in the UK at UK Quran Learning Academy ensures that listening comprehension and Quranic vocabulary are developed alongside memorisation, so that every verse a sister hears carries meaning, not just sound.

Read Also: Memorising Quran Without Understanding

Join the Quran Classes for Sisters in the UK at UK Quran Learning Academy

The Difference Between Menstruation and Janabah Affects the Ruling

Some sisters mistakenly apply the rules of janabah (ritual impurity following sexual relations) to menstruation, which leads to unnecessary restriction. Both are states of major ritual impurity, but scholars distinguish them in important ways relevant to Quranic memorisation:

Aspect	Janabah	Menstruation
Verbal recitation from memory	Prohibited until Ghusl	Permitted according to Maliki school and many contemporary scholars
Reading from phone	Prohibited until Ghusl	Permitted
Touching physical Mushaf	Prohibited	Prohibited
Listening to Quran	Permitted	Permitted
Ghusl removes restriction	Immediately upon Ghusl	Only after menstruation ends naturally

The key distinction is that a person in a state of janabah can remove that state at any time by performing Ghusl. A menstruating woman has no such option. This involuntary nature is precisely why Maliki scholars and many Hanbali scholars extended greater leniency to menstruation specifically when it comes to Quranic recitation for the purpose of memorisation or teaching.

Read Also: The Best Gift for Hafiz-e-Quran

Practical Strategies for Continuing Hifz During Menstruation

Can we memorise Quran in periods effectively? The answer depends on planning the cycle intelligently rather than treating it as a complete pause. Scholars and Hifz teachers have consistently recommended the following approach:

• Use listening as the primary revision tool. Replay memorised portions through audio, following along with the text on a phone. This reinforces retention without requiring verbal recitation.
• Review meanings and Tafsir during this period. Understanding the content of memorised verses deepens long-term retention and is entirely unrestricted during menstruation.
• Increase memorisation before the expected cycle. A sister who knows her cycle in advance can memorise additional material in the preceding days, maintaining forward momentum across the full month.
• Attend lessons focused on Tajweed rules or Arabic grammar. These sessions do not require Quranic recitation and remain fully permissible throughout the cycle.
• Maintain the revision schedule through silent review. Silent mental review, without verbal articulation, is permissible across all schools and protects memorisation from weakening during the days of menstruation.

Read Also: Does Memorising the Quran Improve Memory?

Experience the Academy in Action

Curious about our teaching style? Take a quick look inside a live session to see our immersive, supportive learning environment first-hand.

Read Also: How Many Sahaba Memorised the Quran?

How UK Quran Learning Academy Supports Sisters Through Every Phase

memorising the Quran is a commitment that spans months and years. A sister who pauses her Hifz entirely for several days every month loses significant ground in retention over the course of a year. The key is building a consistent structure that accommodates the full reality of a woman’s schedule, including the days of her cycle.

UK Quran Learning Academy offers a range of programmes specifically designed for Muslim women across Britain, taught by certified Azhari instructors through one-on-one live sessions. Every programme includes:

• Certified Azhari instructors holding Ijazah in recitation or degrees in Islamic studies from recognised institutions.
• Real-time correction during every session using audio-visual feedback.
• Flexible scheduling that fits around work, school, and family commitments across the UK.
• Personalised progression from foundational Noorani Qaida through to Ijazah certification.
• Structured daily and weekly revision plans built into every curriculum.

Discover Our Quran Courses

• Quran Online Academy
• Quran Recitation Classes
• Quran Reading Classes
• Online Quran Classes for Kids
• Quran Classes for Adults
• Quran Classes for Female / Sisters
• Learn Quran Course for Beginners
• Quran Memorization (Hifz) Course
• Hifz Classes for Adults
• Quran Memorization and Hifz Course for Kids
• Quran Hifz Course for Ladies
• Quran Ijazah Program
• Quran Qirat Learning Course
• Quran Tafsir Course
• Noorani Qaida Course
• Noorani Qaida Course for Kids
• Weekend Quran Classes
• Intensive Quran Course
• Al-Azhar Quran Course
• Online Tajweed Classes
• Tajweed Course for Kids
• Tajweed Course for Adults
• Tajweed Course for Ladies

The Tajweed Course for Ladies in the UK and the Quran Tafsir Course in the UK are both structured to accommodate a woman’s schedule throughout the month, with session plans that shift focus seamlessly between active recitation, listening, and meaning-based study.

Enrol in the Quran Tafsir Course in the UK at UK Quran Learning Academy

Conclusion

Can I memorise Quran during periods? The answer, grounded in the positions of the four major Sunni schools, is that significant engagement with the Quran remains available throughout the cycle. Listening is unrestricted. Phone-based reading is permitted by contemporary scholarly consensus. Silent review is permissible across all schools. Verbal recitation depends on the school of thought followed, with the Maliki school offering clear permission for women memorising or teaching the Quran.

The most important principle is that menstruation is not a disconnection from the Quran. A sister who plans her revision intelligently, uses listening and phone-based tools during her cycle, and maintains her lesson schedule through meaning-based study will finish her Hifz journey with far greater speed and retention than one who pauses entirely each month.

FAQ