Abolishing the Ancient Concept of Considering Women as Unclean During Menstruation Through the Sunnah

Sehal Deniz Varlık

Makale detayları

Abolishing the Ancient Concept of Considering Women as Unclean During Menstruation Through the Sunnah

Yazarlar:

Sehal Deniz Varlık

Yayıncı:

Sivas Cumhuriyet University

Ana Başlıklar:

Dinler Tarihi | Hadis

Dergi:

Cumhuriyet İlahiyat Dergisi Vol.28 Issue 1, pp.202-219

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2024

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001319253

pISSN:

2528-9861

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 It is an ancient understanding that monthly bleeding periods, which enable women to fulfill their sacred duty of ensuring the continuity of the human race, are ironically considered a cause of impurity. Feminist movements argue that during the matriarchal period at the beginning of human history, the menstrual cycle was seen as an extension of womens sacred fertility. For them, with the transition to patriarchy, the menstrual cycle became a cause of humiliation and impurity. however, these views are not justifiable. Historically, it is possible to find examples of women being considered as a source of blessing and healing during their menstrual periods as well as being regarded impure and contaminated. However, it can be said that the understanding regarding the menstruating woman is impure is more widespread. Especially in contemporary Judaism, a woman who menstruates as a consequence of being punished for her original sin in Paradise is ritually impure and must be isolated because she spreads her impurity on everything she touches. When the bleeding is over, she can be cleansed through special rituals. In fact, Judaisms halakhah on the causes of ritual impurity and protecting the society from transmission of the impurityare quite detailed and complex. For Jews, leprosy is a cause of impurity, and a leper must be isolated, especially from the clergy. Although contemporary Christianity has been able to avoid the almost unenforceable burden of Judaisms regulations on menstruating women by ignoring them altogether, it generally continues the ontological understanding of the woman as responsible for original sin. In the case of lepers, they were cured by Jesus pbuh and became a recipient of Gods mercy. Islam, on the other hand, does not place any responsibility on women for committing the original sin, nor does it consider menstruation as a cause of impurity. The Prophet Muhammad pbuh, while explaining the verse about the menstruating woman, emphasized that it is a wrong interpretation to consider women impure and isolate them. On the contrary, he demonstrated the truth that women during this period are pure both in his words and in his practices. The narrations revealing that the Sunnah-compliant behavior is to continue the relationship with the menstruating wife, except for full sexual intercourse, are numerous. First of all, there are narrations from the mothers of the believers, who had first-hand knowledge of the subject, and other Companions explaining that the Prophet continued to use the same bed and quilt, eat and drink together with his menstruating wife and that the menstruating womans hands, clothes unless they were stained with blood, and saliva were pure. Nevertheless, the debates and misapplications around the issue continued during the tabien period. This example illustrates the difficulty of changing old beliefs. In addition, the menstruation of women is discussed in the Islamic literature mostly from a fiqh point of view. This is because womens presence during this period has implications for worship and transactions. However, there is a tendency to overlook the significance of the Prophets teaching of rejecting beliefs about womens inherent guilt and deserving punishment, which are rooted in the creation narrative. A neglected aspect of the issue is the Sunnahs emphasis on showing affection, interest and support to the menstruating woman, who is described in the Quran as suffering. However, just as the leper was transformed by Jesus Christ from an unclean person to be avoided into a servant of God worthy of healing by a prophet, the menstruating woman was transformed into a spiritually pure person to live with by practicing the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad.

 It is an ancient understanding that monthly bleeding periods, which enable women to fulfill their sacred duty of ensuring the continuity of the human race, are ironically considered a cause of impurity. Feminist movements argue that during the matriarchal period at the beginning of human history, the menstrual cycle was seen as an extension of womens sacred fertility. For them, with the transition to patriarchy, the menstrual cycle became a cause of humiliation and impurity. however, these views are not justifiable. Historically, it is possible to find examples of women being considered as a source of blessing and healing during their menstrual periods as well as being regarded impure and contaminated. However, it can be said that the understanding regarding the menstruating woman is impure is more widespread. Especially in contemporary Judaism, a woman who menstruates as a consequence of being punished for her original sin in Paradise is ritually impure and must be isolated because she spreads her impurity on everything she touches. When the bleeding is over, she can be cleansed through special rituals. In fact, Judaisms halakhah on the causes of ritual impurity and protecting the society from transmission of the impurityare quite detailed and complex. For Jews, leprosy is a cause of impurity, and a leper must be isolated, especially from the clergy. Although contemporary Christianity has been able to avoid the almost unenforceable burden of Judaisms regulations on menstruating women by ignoring them altogether, it generally continues the ontological understanding of the woman as responsible for original sin. In the case of lepers, they were cured by Jesus pbuh and became a recipient of Gods mercy. Islam, on the other hand, does not place any responsibility on women for committing the original sin, nor does it consider menstruation as a cause of impurity. The Prophet Muhammad pbuh, while explaining the verse about the menstruating woman, emphasized that it is a wrong interpretation to consider women impure and isolate them. On the contrary, he demonstrated the truth that women during this period are pure both in his words and in his practices. The narrations revealing that the Sunnah-compliant behavior is to continue the relationship with the menstruating wife, except for full sexual intercourse, are numerous. First of all, there are narrations from the mothers of the believers, who had first-hand knowledge of the subject, and other Companions explaining that the Prophet continued to use the same bed and quilt, eat and drink together with his menstruating wife and that the menstruating womans hands, clothes unless they were stained with blood, and saliva were pure. Nevertheless, the debates and misapplications around the issue continued during the tabien period. This example illustrates the difficulty of changing old beliefs. In addition, the menstruation of women is discussed in the Islamic literature mostly from a fiqh point of view. This is because womens presence during this period has implications for worship and transactions. However, there is a tendency to overlook the significance of the Prophets teaching of rejecting beliefs about womens inherent guilt and deserving punishment, which are rooted in the creation narrative. A neglected aspect of the issue is the Sunnahs emphasis on showing affection, interest and support to the menstruating woman, who is described in the Quran as suffering. However, just as the leper was transformed by Jesus Christ from an unclean person to be avoided into a servant of God worthy of healing by a prophet, the menstruating woman was transformed into a spiritually pure person to live with by practicing the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad.

 It is an ancient understanding that monthly bleeding periods, which enable women to fulfill their sacred duty of ensuring the continuity of the human race, are ironically considered a cause of impurity. Feminist movements argue that during the matriarchal period at the beginning of human history, the menstrual cycle was seen as an extension of womens sacred fertility. For them, with the transition to patriarchy, the menstrual cycle became a cause of humiliation and impurity. however, these views are not justifiable. Historically, it is possible to find examples of women being considered as a source of blessing and healing during their menstrual periods as well as being regarded impure and contaminated. However, it can be said that the understanding regarding the menstruating woman is impure is more widespread. Especially in contemporary Judaism, a woman who menstruates as a consequence of being punished for her original sin in Paradise is ritually impure and must be isolated because she spreads her impurity on everything she touches. When the bleeding is over, she can be cleansed through special rituals. In fact, Judaisms halakhah on the causes of ritual impurity and protecting the society from transmission of the impurityare quite detailed and complex. For Jews, leprosy is a cause of impurity, and a leper must be isolated, especially from the clergy. Although contemporary Christianity has been able to avoid the almost unenforceable burden of Judaisms regulations on menstruating women by ignoring them altogether, it generally continues the ontological understanding of the woman as responsible for original sin. In the case of lepers, they were cured by Jesus pbuh and became a recipient of Gods mercy. Islam, on the other hand, does not place any responsibility on women for committing the original sin, nor does it consider menstruation as a cause of impurity. The Prophet Muhammad pbuh, while explaining the verse about the menstruating woman, emphasized that it is a wrong interpretation to consider women impure and isolate them. On the contrary, he demonstrated the truth that women during this period are pure both in his words and in his practices. The narrations revealing that the Sunnah-compliant behavior is to continue the relationship with the menstruating wife, except for full sexual intercourse, are numerous. First of all, there are narrations from the mothers of the believers, who had first-hand knowledge of the subject, and other Companions explaining that the Prophet continued to use the same bed and quilt, eat and drink together with his menstruating wife and that the menstruating womans hands, clothes unless they were stained with blood, and saliva were pure. Nevertheless, the debates and misapplications around the issue continued during the tabien period. This example illustrates the difficulty of changing old beliefs. In addition, the menstruation of women is discussed in the Islamic literature mostly from a fiqh point of view. This is because womens presence during this period has implications for worship and transactions. However, there is a tendency to overlook the significance of the Prophets teaching of rejecting beliefs about womens inherent guilt and deserving punishment, which are rooted in the creation narrative. A neglected aspect of the issue is the Sunnahs emphasis on showing affection, interest and support to the menstruating woman, who is described in the Quran as suffering. However, just as the leper was transformed by Jesus Christ from an unclean person to be avoided into a servant of God worthy of healing by a prophet, the menstruating woman was transformed into a spiritually pure person to live with by practicing the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad.

 Kadınların mukaddes görevlerini, insan neslinin devamlılığını sağlamayı yerine getirebilmelerine imkân veren aylık kanama dönemlerinin ironik bir şekilde kirlilik sebebi sayılması kadim bir kabuldür. Belki de ilkel inançlarda kana yüklenen tabu anlamı bu kabulün benimsenmesinde rol oynamıştır. Her ne kadar feminist akımlarla beşeriyet tarihinin başlangıcındaki anaerkil dönemde kadınlara kutsallık katan doğurganlıklarının bir uzantısı olan adet görmelerinin, ataerkil düzene geçişle bir aşağılanma ve murdarlık sebebi sayılmaya başlandığı iddia edilmiştir. Fakat bu görüşün dayanakları doğruluğunu ispatlayacak sağlamlıkta olmadığı gibi alanın uzmanlarınca da ortaya atılmıştır. Bir hukukçunun mitolojik anlatıları da referans alarak yaptığı taraflı bir antropolojik okumadır. Ayrıca tarihi süreçte kadınların regl dönemlerindeyken bereket ve şifa kaynağı görüldüklerinin de etrafına pislik bulaştıran bir murdarlık halinde kabul edildiklerinin de örnekleri bulunmak mümkündür. Bununla birlikte hayızlı kadını kirli kabul eden anlayışın daha yaygın olduğu söylenebilir. Özellikle bu güne ulaşan şekliyle Yahudilikte, Cennette işlediği ilk günah sebebiyle cezalandırılmasının sonucu olarak adet gördüğü kabul edilen kadın, manen kirlidir ve bu kiri dokunduğu her şeye bulaştırdığından tecrit edilmelidir. Kanaması bittiğinde temizlenmesiyse özel ritüellerle mümkündür. Zaten Yahudilikte kirlilik sebepleri ve kirliliğin toplumda yaygınlaşmaması için alınması gereken tedbirler ile ilgili ahkâm, geniş ve karmaşıktır. Onlara göre cüzzam hastalığına yakalanmak da kirlilik sebeplerindendir ve cüzzamlı olan kişi de, özellikle din adamlarından, tecrit edilmelidir. Güncel Hristiyanlık, Yahudiliğin hayızlı kadınla ilgili düzenlemelerinin neredeyse uygulanamaz yükünden hepsini yok sayarak kurtulmuştur. Fakat ontolojik açıdan kadını ilk günahtan sorumlu tutma anlayışını genel olarak devam ettirmektedir. Cüzzamlıysa Hz. İsa as aracılığıyla tedavi edilerek Tanrının rahmetinin ulaştığı bir konuma gelmiştir. İslam dini ise ilk günahı işlemede kadına ayrı bir sorumluluk yüklemediği gibi adet dönemini de bir kirlilik sebebi saymaz. Ama Medinede Yahudilerle bir arada yaşayan Müslümanların, İslam öncesi Arap kültüründe de bulunan adetli kadını kirli sayma inancından etkilendiği anlaşılmaktadır. Öyle ki Yahudiler gibi hayızlı eşlerini evden çıkarmaları gerekip gerekmediğini, yaptıkları yemeği yiyip yiyemeyeceklerini sorgulamışlardır. Hz. Muhammed as, hayızlı kadın hakkında indirilen ayetteki ifadeleri açıklarken, kadınları kirli kabul edip tecrit etmenin yanlış bir yorum olduğunu vurgulamıştır. Aksine bu dönemdeki kadınların temiz oldukları hakikatini hem sözleriyle hem de uygulamalarıyla göstermiştir. Sünnete uygun davranışın adetli eşle, tam bir cinsel birliktelik hariç, ilişkinin devam ettirilmesi olduğunu açığa çıkaran rivayetlerin sayısı çoktur. Öncellikle uygulamaya bizzat şahit olan müminlerin annelerinden ve diğer sahâbeden; Hz. Peygamberin hayızlı eşiyle aynı yatak ve yorganı kullandığını, aynı sofrada yemek yediği hatta onun ısırdığı yerden ısırıp bardakta dudağının değdiği yerden içtiğini, hayızlı kadının elinin, kan bulaşmadıkça giydiklerinin, tükürüğünün temiz olduğunu açıklayan bilgiler aktarılmaktadır. Yine de konu etrafındaki tartışma ve yanlış uygulamalar tabiîn döneminde devam etmiştir. Zira adetli eşle yatılır mı, aynı yorgan kullanılır mı, yaptığı yemek yenilir mi, döktüğü suyla abdest alınır mı gibi sorgulamalar sürdürülmüştür. Hz. Peygamberin aile efradından İbn Abbasın hayızlı hizmetlisine saçını taratmaktan çekindiği, tabiîn fakihlerinden loğusalık kanaması bittiği halde eşini kırk gün geçmeden yanına kabul etmeyenin veya aynı yorganla yatmamayı tavsiye edenin olduğu nakledilmektedir. Kadim inançların değişiminin zorluğu bu örnekte de açığa çıkmaktadır. Ayrıca kadınların aybaşı hali İslamî literatürde çoğunlukla fıkhî açıdan ele alınmıştır. Çünkü kadınların bu dönemde bulunması ibadetler ve muamelat açısından farklı sonuçlar doğurmaktadır. Bu arada kadınla ilgili kökleri Eski Ahiddeki yaratılış kıssasına giden ontolojik suçluluğu ve cezayı hak ettiği inanışlarının Hz. Peygamberin sünnetiyle ret edilmesinin önemi dikkatten kaçmaktadır. Kuranın deyimiyle ezasıkıntı çeken kadına muhabbet ve ilgi gösterip desteklemenin sünnette vurgulanması da meselenin ihmal edilen bir yönüdür. Oysaki nasıl cüzzamlı Hz. İsa aracılığıyla uzak durulması gereken murdarlıktan Allahın bir peygamberi aracılığıyla şifa ulaştırılmasına layık kulu konumuna geldiyse, hayızlı kadın da Hz. Muhammedin sünnetindeki uygulamayla bir arada yaşanacak, manen temiz kişi konumuna getirilmiştir.

Makale detayları

Abolishing the Ancient Concept of Considering Women as Unclean During Menstruation Through the Sunnah

Yazarlar:

Sehal Deniz Varlık

Yayıncı:

Sivas Cumhuriyet University

Ana Başlıklar:

Dinler Tarihi | Hadis

Dergi:

Cumhuriyet İlahiyat Dergisi Vol.28 Issue 1, pp.202-219

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2024

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001319253

pISSN:

2528-9861

Hadith

Sunnah

Woman

Menstruation

Unclean

CleanHadis

Sünnet

Kadın

Hayız

Kirli

Temiz

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Sehal Deniz Varlık

Yayıncı: Sivas Cumhuriyet University

Ana Başlıklar: Dinler Tarihi | Hadis

Dergi: Cumhuriyet İlahiyat Dergisi Vol.28 Issue 1, pp.202-219

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 6/2024

Belge Dili: Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.): 2001319253

pISSN: 2528-9861

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Sehal Deniz Varlık

Yayıncı:

Sivas Cumhuriyet University

Ana Başlıklar:

Dinler Tarihi | Hadis

Dergi:

Cumhuriyet İlahiyat Dergisi Vol.28 Issue 1, pp.202-219

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2024

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001319253

pISSN:

2528-9861