Praise be to Allaah.

A menstruating woman does not need to do ghusl after having sexual contact, because her impurity lasts as long as the blood is flowing, and it does not stop until her bleeding stops and she does ghusl. While she is menstruating, her husband is not permitted to have intercourse in the vagina, because of the aayah (interpretation if the meaning): “They ask you concerning menstruation. Say: That is an adha (a harmful thing for a husband to have sexual intercourse with his wife while she is having her menses), therefore keep away from women during menses and go not unto them until they have purified (from menses and taken a bath)…” [al-Baqarah 2:222]. The husband may enjoy (sexual activity) other than intercourse, because of the hadeeth of Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said that among the Jews, when a woman had her menses they would not eat with her or stay in the same house with her. The Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) asked him about this, and Allaah revealed the aayah, “They ask you concerning menstruation. Say: That is an adha (a harmful thing for a husband to have sexual intercourse with his wife while she is having her menses), therefore keep away from women during menses…” [al-Baqarah 2:222]. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Do everything except have intercourse.” News of this reached the Jews, and they said, “What does this man want? He doesn’t leave anything of ours alone without saying something different!” (Reported by Muslim, 455). And Allaah knows best.