Is it permissible to touch the vagina of a menstruating wife from the outside without a barrier?

It is permissible for the husband to enjoy his menstruating wife above the navel and below the knee by consensus. Intercourse in the vagina is forbidden by consensus. As for enjoyment between the navel and the knee, scholars have differed on this matter. Some have permitted it with a barrier, such as the Hanafis, Shafi'is, and Hanbalis, while others have forbidden it, such as some Malikis. Some scholars are of the opinion that the prohibition is specific only to the place of blood. Therefore, it is advisable to refrain from direct contact between the navel and the knee without a barrier, out of respect for the view of the majority and as a precaution for one's religion.