Archive -> April 10, 2004
Menstruation Guidance
Bathe or shower?
Baths are very harmful because the impurities that your body emits are washed back into the vaginal canal and can cause infections. Shower for the seven days until you make your ritual bath for cleanliness.
What protection?
During World War I (1914 AD) [a] German-American Chemist invented the cellular cotton bandage. In 1921, the Red Cross nurses used these bandages at the military hospitals for the wounded soldiers. Personal toiletry supplies were almost non-existent. The Red Cross nurses were forced to use these cellular bandages as sanitary napkins during World War I.
In 1931 Kimberly-Clark Co. learned of this and developed a modified cellular bandage that was to be used as a sanitary napkin under the brand name, Kotex®. A sanitary napkin (pad) is held against the vulva by a belt, pins, or secured in place by the woman’s undergarment without the use of either belt or pins. They should be changed regularly to cut down on odor as well as infection. This is the safest thing to use for menstruation.
Granny used
Our grandmothers, at one time used white sheets or diapers for sanitary napkins, they would use homemade napkins and save them for seven days. After the seven days they would wash, then boil them in order to use them for the next month. This happened every month until the rags wore out. The reason they used homemade sanitary napkins was because they strongly believed in the jinn (one of a class of spirits that according to Muslim demonology inhabit the earth, assume various forms, and exercise supernatural power) living off the discharged blood – because woman and jaan (the father and vice master of the jinn) are closely related. Jaan would use their blood to posses and cause the woman to do evil.
Afterward hygiene
When your seven days of uncleanness are over, you have to make complete ghusl (purifying bath). This includes the washing of the hair as well as douching. The douche water should be boiled.
Excerpted from Menstruation by Dr. Malachi Z. York-El
Highly Suggested Book: Sacred Woman by Queen Afua
Related: Mentsruation