Ghusl for Menstruation and Postpartum
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 1|Book 1|Chapter 21
وَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ اَلْبَاقِرُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «إِنَّ اَلْحَيْضَ لِلنِّسَاءِ نَجَاسَةٌ رَمَاهُنَّ اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِهَا وَ قَدْ كُنَّ اَلنِّسَاءُ فِي زَمَنِ نُوحٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ إِنَّمَا تَحِيضُ اَلْمَرْأَةُ فِي اَلسَّنَةِ حَيْضَةً حَتَّى خَرَجَ نِسْوَةٌ مِنْ مَجَانِّهِنَّ وَ كُنَّ سَبْعَمِائَةِ اِمْرَأَةٍ فَانْطَلَقْنَ فَلَبِسْنَ اَلْمُعَصْفَرَاتِ مِنَ اَلثِّيَابِ وَ تَحَلَّيْنَ وَ تَعَطَّرْنَ ثُمَّ خَرَجْنَ فَتَفَرَّقْنَ فِي اَلْبِلاَدِ فَجَلَسْنَ مَعَ اَلرِّجَالِ وَ شَهِدْنَ اَلْأَعْيَادَ مَعَهُمْ وَ جَلَسْنَ فِي صُفُوفِهِمْ فَرَمَاهُنَّ اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِالْحَيْضِ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ فِي كُلِّ شَهْرٍ يَعْنِي أُولَئِكَ اَلنِّسْوَةَ بِأَعْيَانِهِنَّ فَسَالَتْ دِمَاؤُهُنَّ فَأُخْرِجْنَ مِنْ بَيْنِ اَلرِّجَالِ فَكُنَّ يَحِضْنَ فِي كُلِّ شَهْرٍ حَيْضَةً فَشَغَلَهُنَّ اَللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِالْحَيْضِ وَ كَسَرَ شَهْوَتَهُنَّ» قَالَ «وَ كَانَ غَيْرُهُنَّ مِنَ اَلنِّسَاءِ اَللَّوَاتِي لَمْ يَفْعَلْنَ مِثْلَ مَا فَعَلْنَ يَحِضْنَ فِي كُلِّ سَنَةٍ حَيْضَةً» قَالَ «فَتَزَوَّجَ بَنُو اَللاَّئِي يَحِضْنَ فِي كُلِّ شَهْرٍ بَنَاتِ اَللاَّئِي يَحِضْنَ فِي كُلِّ سَنَةٍ حَيْضَةً فَامْتَزَجَ اَلْقَوْمُ فَحِضْنَ بَنَاتُ هَؤُلاَءِ وَ هَؤُلاَءِ فِي كُلِّ شَهْرٍ حَيْضَةً فَكَثُرَ أَوْلاَدُ اَللاَّئِي يَحِضْنَ فِي كُلِّ سَنَةٍ [شَهْرٍ] حَيْضَةً لاِسْتِقَامَةِ اَلْحَيْضِ وَ قَلَّ أَوْلاَدُ اَللاَّئِي يَحِضْنَ فِي كُلِّ سَنَةٍ حَيْضَةً لِفَسَادِ اَلدَّمِ» قَالَ «فَكَثُرَ نَسْلُ هَؤُلاَءِ وَ قَلَّ نَسْلُ أُولَئِكَ.
Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام said: 'Menstruation is a form of impurity that Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Exalted, has afflicted women with. In the time of Noah عليه السلام, women would menstruate only once a year until a group of seven hundred women went out of their homes, wore brightly colored garments, adorned themselves with jewelry, and used perfume. They then spread out among the lands, sat with men, attended festivals, and sat in their gatherings. Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Exalted, then afflicted these women with monthly menstruation due to this behavior, so their blood began to flow, and they were separated from men. Thus, they would menstruate every month, and Allah سبحانه وتعالى kept them occupied with menstruation and reduced their desires.' Imam عليه السلام said: 'Other women who did not engage in such behavior would only menstruate once a year.' Imam عليه السلام continued, 'The descendants of those who menstruated every month married the daughters of those who menstruated once a year, and their offspring intermingled. Consequently, their daughters menstruated monthly, leading to an increase in the children of those who menstruated monthly due to regular menstruation, while the children of those who menstruated yearly were fewer due to the corruption of their blood.' Imam عليه السلام concluded, 'Thus, the offspring of those who menstruated monthly increased, while the offspring of those who menstruated yearly decreased.'
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh