Those Who Do Not Menstruate (65:4)

A favorite verse among perverts who attempt to justify child marriage by means of the Quran is the following verse, where they twist the meaning of “wa-allāī lam yaḥiḍ’na” ( وَٱلَّـٰٓـِٔى لَمْ يَحِضْنَ ) “and those who do not menstruate” to imply that this is in reference to children.

[65:4] As for the women who have reached menopause, if you have any doubts, their interim shall be three months. As for those who do not menstruate, and discover that they are pregnant, their interim ends upon giving birth. Anyone who reverences GOD, He makes everything easy for him.

 وَٱلَّـٰٓـِٔى يَئِسْنَ مِنَ ٱلْمَحِيضِ مِن نِّسَآئِكُمْ إِنِ ٱرْتَبْتُمْ فَعِدَّتُهُنَّ ثَلَـٰثَةُ أَشْهُرٍ وَٱلَّـٰٓـِٔى لَمْ يَحِضْنَ وَأُو۟لَـٰتُ ٱلْأَحْمَالِ أَجَلُهُنَّ أَن يَضَعْنَ حَمْلَهُنَّ وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ مِنْ أَمْرِهِۦ يُسْرًا

1	wa-allāī	وَٱلَّـٰٓـِٔى	And those who
2	ya-is’na	يَئِسْنَ	[they] despaired*
3	mina	مِنَ	of*
4	l-maḥīḍi	ٱلْمَحِيضِ	the menstruation* (*reached menopause)
5	min	مِن	among
6	nisāikum	نِّسَآئِكُمْ	your women,
7	ini	إِنِ	if
8	ir’tabtum	ٱرْتَبْتُمْ	you [all] doubt,
9	faʿiddatuhunna	فَعِدَّتُهُنَّ	then their waiting period (is)
10	thalāthatu	ثَلَـٰثَةُ	three
11	ashhurin	أَشْهُرٍ	months.
12	wa-allāī	وَٱلَّـٰٓـِٔى	And those who
13	lam	لَمْ	not
14	yaḥiḍ’na	يَحِضْنَ	they menstruate
15	wa-ulātu	وَأُو۟لَـٰتُ	and possessors of
16	l-aḥmāli	ٱلْأَحْمَالِ	[the] pregnant,
17	ajaluhunna	أَجَلُهُنَّ	their term
18	an	أَن	when
19	yaḍaʿna	يَضَعْنَ	they relieve / give birth
20	ḥamlahunna	حَمْلَهُنَّ	their load (*give birth).
21	waman	وَمَن	And whoever
22	yattaqi	يَتَّقِ	[he] reverences
23	l-laha	ٱللَّهَ	God,
24	yajʿal	يَجْعَل	He will make
25	lahu	لَّهُۥ	for him
26	min	مِنْ	of
27	amrihi	أَمْرِهِۦ	his affair / matter
28	yus’ran	يُسْرًا	easy.

Not only is this a gross interpretation, but such an interpretation also creates many contradictions within the Quran.

Firstly, some attempt to justify child marriage by arguing that since it was a common practice in the past, we cannot say it is immoral. Yet it doesn’t matter what the people of the past did. Their judgment is between them and God. The Quran warns us not to rely on the excuses of what individuals did in the past to ever justify sin and that God never advocates sexual immorality and vice.

[7:28] They commit a gross sin, then say, “We found our parents doing this, and GOD has commanded us to do it.” Say, “GOD never advocates sin. Are you saying about GOD what you do not know?”

وَإِذَا فَعَلُوا۟ فَـٰحِشَةً قَالُوا۟ وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهَآ ءَابَآءَنَا وَٱللَّهُ أَمَرَنَا بِهَا قُلْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَأْمُرُ بِٱلْفَحْشَآءِ أَتَقُولُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

Secondly, as stated in a previous article, children are not eligible for marriage according to the Quran. This is because a person must be both physiologically and mentally mature to marry, according to 4:6.

[4:6] You shall test the orphans when they reach al-nikah (the age of marriage). Then, if you find them mature enough, give them their property. Do not consume it extravagantly in a hurry, before they grow up. The rich guardian shall not charge any wage, but the poor guardian may charge equitably. When you give them their properties, you shall have witnesses. GOD suffices as Reckoner.

 وَٱبْتَلُوا۟ ٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغُوا۟ ٱلنِّكَاحَ فَإِنْ ءَانَسْتُم مِّنْهُمْ رُشْدًا فَٱدْفَعُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ وَلَا تَأْكُلُوهَآ إِسْرَافًا وَبِدَارًا أَن يَكْبَرُوا۟ وَمَن كَانَ غَنِيًّا فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ وَمَن كَانَ فَقِيرًا فَلْيَأْكُلْ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ فَإِذَا دَفَعْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ فَأَشْهِدُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ حَسِيبًا

The individual is not ready for marriage if these two basic requirements are unmet. According to the above verse, the sign that a person meets this requirement is that they can be the custodian of their wealth and property and fulfill their contracts without a guardian. Since a child is incapable of doing this, they are not eligible for marriage.

Verse 65:4 discusses the necessary interim period between a husband and wife if they choose to divorce. Since children cannot be married, this verse cannot be regarding them, and such an understanding would be a gross twisting of the meaning of the verse. Additionally, it is worth pointing out that the verse clearly references “women” by using the term “nisāikum” ( نِّسَآئِكُمْ ), which does not include children.

Since this expression is not about children and also not about women who reached menopause, then who is this verse addressing?

This expression is regarding full-grown women who do not menstruate. This understanding is consistent with the rest of the Quran and does not form numerous contradictions or equate an immoral action to God.

There are many reasons why a woman may not menstruate, such as hormonal imbalance, stress, medical conditions, medications, contraceptives, or athletic amenorrhea. But the most common reason, which also best aligns with the verse, is pregnancy.

If we look at the expression used immediately after referencing “those who do not menstruate,” “wa-allāī lam yaḥiḍ’na” ( وَٱلَّـٰٓـِٔى لَمْ يَحِضْنَ ), in 65:4, it states “wa-ulātu l-aḥmāli” ( وَأُو۟لَـٰتُ حَمْلَهُنَّ ) which means “and those who are pregnant.” These back-to-back statements indicate that the ones who do not menstruate are those who are already pregnant.

12	wa-allāī	وَٱلَّـٰٓـِٔى	And those who
13	lam	لَمْ	not
14	yaḥiḍ’na	يَحِضْنَ	they menstruate
15	wa-ulātu	وَأُو۟لَـٰتُ	and possessors of
16	l-aḥmāli	ٱلْأَحْمَالِ	[the] pregnant,
17	ajaluhunna	أَجَلُهُنَّ	their term
18	an	أَن	when
19	yaḍaʿna	يَضَعْنَ	they relieve / give birth
20	ḥamlahunna	حَمْلَهُنَّ	their load (*give birth).

This is why it states that their interim ends upon giving birth. Otherwise, if “those who do not menstruate,” “wa-allāī la is about individuals who are too young to menstruate like the perverts claim, then divorce would never apply to this group, as there would be no condition by which their interim would be fulfilled. So this again shows that this is in reference to those who do not menstruate because they are pregnant and not in regards to children.

Some argue that the usage of the term “lam” ( لَمْ ), which means “not” in the past tense, implies that these are women who “have not yet” menstruated in an attempt to push the meaning that this implies children. The problem with this understanding is that it not only creates contradictions with other verses of the Quran, as mentioned above but also creates an inaccurate understanding of how this word. For example, if I say, “My coworker did not get his work done,” ( لم يُنجِزْ زَمِيلِي عَمَلَهُ ) it would be absurd to think I mean that my coworker never got his work done, but only that for whatever task at hand we were dealing with, he did not get his work done.

We see the word “lam” ( لَمْ ) used in this manner in the following 2:283 regarding another guideline that the Quran describes: writing down financial transactions. This verse details what one is supposed to do if one does not find a scribe.

[2:283] If you are traveling and you do not find a scribe, a bond shall be posted to guarantee repayment. If one is trusted in this manner, he shall return the bond when due, and he shall observe GOD his Lord. Do not withhold any testimony by concealing what you had witnessed. Anyone who withholds a testimony is sinful at heart. GOD is fully aware of everything you do.

وَإِن كُنتُمْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ وَلَمْ تَجِدُوا۟ كَاتِبًا فَرِهَـٰنٌ مَّقْبُوضَةٌ فَإِنْ أَمِنَ بَعْضُكُم بَعْضًا فَلْيُؤَدِّ ٱلَّذِى ٱؤْتُمِنَ أَمَـٰنَتَهُۥ وَلْيَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ رَبَّهُۥ وَلَا تَكْتُمُوا۟ ٱلشَّهَـٰدَةَ وَمَن يَكْتُمْهَا فَإِنَّهُۥٓ ءَاثِمٌ قَلْبُهُۥ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ عَلِيمٌ

1	wa-in	وَإِن	And if
2	kuntum	كُنتُمْ	you [all] are
3	ʿalā	عَلَىٰ	on
4	safarin	سَفَرٍ	a journey (travelling)
5	walam	وَلَمْ	and not
6	tajidū	تَجِدُوا۟	you [all] find
7	kātiban	كَاتِبًا	a scribe,

To claim that the word “lam” ( لَمْ ) signifies “not yet” as in “never” would mean that the condition above applies to those who have never found a scribe in their life. Obviously, such an understanding would be inaccurate. Therefore, the correct understanding is that this only refers to the duration of time when someone is on a journey and looking for a scribe to complete a financial transaction.

Similarly, 65:4 only regards the interim period for divorce as stated in the sura’s initial verse and not the individual’s entire life.

[65:1] O you prophet, when you people divorce the women, you shall ensure that a divorce interim is fulfilled. You shall measure such an interim precisely.* You shall reverence GOD your Lord. Do not evict them from their homes, nor shall you make life miserable for them, to force them to leave on their own, unless they commit a proven adultery. These are GOD’s laws. Anyone who transgresses GOD’s laws commits an injustice against himself. You never know; maybe GOD wills something good to come out of this.

 يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ إِذَا طَلَّقْتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَطَلِّقُوهُنَّ لِعِدَّتِهِنَّ وَأَحْصُوا۟ ٱلْعِدَّةَ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ رَبَّكُمْ لَا تُخْرِجُوهُنَّ مِنۢ بُيُوتِهِنَّ وَلَا يَخْرُجْنَ إِلَّآ أَن يَأْتِينَ بِفَـٰحِشَةٍ مُّبَيِّنَةٍ وَتِلْكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ وَمَن يَتَعَدَّ حُدُودَ ٱللَّهِ فَقَدْ ظَلَمَ نَفْسَهُۥ لَا تَدْرِى لَعَلَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحْدِثُ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ أَمْرًا

This means that this is not referring to someone who never menstruated, but only one who did not menstruate during the divorce interim from when the divorce was initiated. Therefore, when one initiates a divorce, and the woman is not menstruating due to pregnancy, then their interim ends upon giving birth.

Despite the obvious fact that 65:4 is not about children, some people continue to attribute these kinds of lies to God and the Quran.

[4:50] Note how they fabricate lies about GOD; what a gross offense this is!

 ٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ وَكَفَىٰ بِهِۦٓ إِثْمًا مُّبِينًا

[6:21] Who is more evil than one who lies about GOD, or rejects His revelations? The transgressors never succeed.

وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَوْ كَذَّبَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِهِۦٓ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ