536 - Issue; He said: (And if a woman menstruates, she shall exit the mosque and set up a tent in the courtyard.)

As for her exiting the mosque, there is no disagreement regarding it, because menstruation is a state of ritual impurity that prevents remaining in the mosque, so it is like sexual impurity (janabah), or even more emphatic. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "I do not permit the mosque for a menstruating woman nor for one in a state of sexual impurity." Narrated by Abu Dawud. Once this is established, if the mosque does not have a courtyard, she returns to her house. When she becomes pure, she returns, completes her I'tikaf, and makes up what she missed, and there is no expiation (kaffarah) upon her. Ahmad stated this explicitly, because it is an customary, obligatory exit; it resembles the exit for Jumu'ah or for that which is necessary. If it does have an outer courtyard outside the mosque where she can set up her tent, Al-Khiraqi said: She shall set up her tent therein for the duration of her menstruation. This is also the view of Abu Qilabah. An-Nakha'i said: She shall set up her tent in her house, and when she becomes pure, she shall make up those days; and if she enters a house or roof, she must restart. Az-Zuhri, 'Amr ibn Dinar, Rabi'ah, Malik, and Ash-Shafi'i said: She returns to her home, and when she becomes pure, she shall return, because the exit from the mosque became obligatory upon her, so residing in its courtyard is not required of her, just like a woman who exits for a waiting period ('iddah) or fear of trial (fitnah). The basis for Al-Khiraqi's view is what Miqdam ibn Shurayh narrated from 'Aishah, who said: "The women in I'tikaf, if they menstruated, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would command them to be taken out of the mosque and to set up tents in the courtyard of the mosque until they became pure." Narrated by Abu Hafs with his chain of narration. This differs from the woman in a waiting period, for her exit is to reside in her house and observe her waiting period therein, and that does not occur while being in the courtyard. Similarly, the woman fearing trial, her exit is to be safe from the trial, so she does not reside in a place where safety is not achieved by residing in it. The apparent meaning is that her residing in the courtyard is recommended, not obligatory.