Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
There is absolutely nothing wrong with a woman who is studying Islam to carry, or read, or touch books or works of tafsir, which contain verses of the Qur’an during menstruation.
Answering your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:
It should be clear that it is permissible for menstruating women – according to some scholars – to recite the Qur’an so that they do not forget it and they do not miss learning the teachings of Shari`ah from the Book of Allah.
There is almost consensus among scholars that a woman in her period is allowed to touch, or carry, or use books on Islam, or works of tafsir (Qur’an exegesis) that may contain verses of the Qur’an.
The only difference of opinion among authentic scholars is about touching or carrying or reading from the entire Qur’an itself.
Although most scholars consider it unlawful for a woman to touch or carry the full Qur’an, many scholars have determined it permissible for those who are teachers or students.
Almighty Allah knows best.
Editor’s note: This fatwa is from Ask the Scholar’s archive and was originally published at an earlier date.