The Menstruation
By Sayyid Sābiq
In
the name of Allāh,
the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful;
All
the praise and Thanks is due to Allāh,
the Lord of al-‘ālamīn. I testify that there is none
worthy of worship except Allāh,
and that Muhammad, Sallallāhu
`alayhi wa sallam is His Messenger.
In Arabic, the word for Menstruation
(Haid) literally means “running.” Here it refers to the discharge of blood
during a woman’s state of health, not from giving birth or breaking the hymen.
Most scholars say that its time
begins at the age of nine. If blood is seen before that age, it is not
menstrual blood, but is considered to be putrid blood. As there is no evidence
about when a woman stops menstruating, if an elderly lady finds blood flowing it
is considered menstrual blood.
1 -
Requirements for Blood to Be Considered Menstrual
1- Dark.
Once, when Fatimah bint Abu Habash (radiyallāhu`anha)
had a prolonged flow of blood, the Allah’s Messenger (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa
sallam) told her, “If it is the blood of
menstruation, it will be dark and recognizable. If it is that, then leave the
prayer. If it is other than that, then make ablution and pray, for it is only
due to a vein.” This is related by Abu Dawud, an-Nasa’ie, Ibn Hibban and
ad-Daraqutni, who said all of its narrators are trustworthy. Al-Hakim also
related it, and said that it meets Muslim’s standards.
2- Red. It is the
original color of blood.
3- Yellow. It is a
liquid, like pus.
4- A muddy color. It
is an intermediate color between black and white, like dirt.
Imam Malik and Muhammad al-Hassan (and
al-Bukhari in mu’allaq form) recorded that women would send ‘Aishah (radiyallāhu`anha)
small boxes with yellow-stained cotton, and she would tell them, “Do not be in haste until you see the pure white cotton.”
If the discharge is yellow or muddy during the days of menstruation, it is to
be considered as part of the menses. During other days, it is not regarded as
such. Umm ‘Atiyyah (radiyallāhu`anha) said, “After
we were pure, we did not consider the yellow or muddy discharge to be anything.”
This is related by Abu Dawud and al-Bukhari, but without the words “...after we were pure...”
2 -
There Is No Stated Minimum or Maximum Length of Time for the Menses
All statements dealing with this
topic have no sound backing. If a woman has a customary length of time for her
menses, she should according to it. Umm Salamah (radiyallāhu`anha) asked the Allah’s
Messenger (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) about a woman with a prolonged flow of
blood. He said, “She should look for the number of
days and nights that she usually has her menses and the time of the month
during which it occurs. Then she should leave the prayer (during those days,
and then afterwards) perform ghusl, tie something around her vagina and pray.”
(Related by “the five’’ except for at-Tirmidzi.) If she has no customary period
to go by, then she can try to distinguish between the different types of blood.
This practice is based on the previously quoted hadith of Fatimah bint Abu
Hubaish, which states that menstrual blood is distinguishable and well-known to
women.
All scholars agree that there is no minimum
or maximum time limit between two menstrual periods. Some say that the latter
period is fifteen days, while others say it is three days.
3-The
Childbirth Bleeding
Such bleeding occurs after the birth
of a child, regardless if the child survived the birth or not. This type of
bleeding has no minimum duration, for it could stop right after the birth, or
there could even be no blood. Therefore, her confinement would end and she
would be obliged to fast, pray, and so on. The maximum duration is forty days.
Umm Salamah (radiyallāhu`anha) said, “During the
lifetime of the Allah’s Messenger (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam), the
post-childbirth woman would be in confinement for forty days.” (Related
by “the five,” except for an-Nasa’ie.)
After recording the hadith, at-Tirmidzi
states, “The knowledgeable companions, the
following generation and those that came later agree that a woman experiencing
post-childbirth bleeding had to stop praying for forty days unless her blood
stopped. If her bleeding stops before that time, she is to make ghusl and start
praying. If she sees blood after forty days, most scholars say that she is not
to stop praying.”
4
- Forbidden Acts for Women Experiencing Menstruation and Post-Childbirth
Bleeding
All acts forbidden for a person who
has not yet cleansed himself from sex or a wet dream are prohibited to women in
these two conditions, as these are considered major impurities. But, there are
also two further prohibitions:
4.1 - They cannot observe
solat.
The
Allah’s Messenger (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam), said to Fatimah bint Abu
Habish, “Do not pray during your period. After it
has ended, perform ghusl and pray.” (Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim)
4.2 - They cannot fast.
If women fast, their fasting will be
considered null and void. If they fast during the month of Ramadan, they will
still have to make those days of fasting up later on. Mu’azhah said, “I asked ‘Aishah (radiyallāhu`anha), ‘Why must we make up
the fasts missed due to our menstruation, and not the prayers?’ She said, ‘That
was what the Allah’s Messenger (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) told us to do. We
were ordered to make up the fasts, and we were ordered not to make up the
prayers.” (Related by “the group.”)
4.3 – They cannot enter masjid
4.4- She Can Not
Engage In Sexual Intercourse
Anas bin Malik (radiyallāhu`anhu)
said, “When a Jewish woman was menstruating, her husband would not eat or sleep
with her. The companions asked the Allah’s Messenger (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa
sallam), about that, and Allah revealed: “They question you concerning
menstruation. Say: ‘It is an illness, so let women
alone at such times and go not in unto them until they are cleaned. And when
they have purified themselves, then go in unto them as Allah has enjoined upon
you. Truly, Allah loves those who turn unto Him and loves those who have a care
for cleanliness” (al-Baqarah, 2: 222). The Allah’s Messenger (Sallallāhu
`alayhi wa sallam) also said, “Do everything except
intercourse.” (Related by “the group,” except for al-Bukhari.)
In his comments on the subject,
an-Nawawi (rahimallāh) states, “If a Muslim believes it is permissible to have
intercourse with his menstruating wife, he becomes an unbelieving apostate. If
he does it, not thinking that it is permissible, but out of forgetfulness or
not knowing that it is forbidden or not knowing that his wife was menstruating,
then there is no sin or expiation upon him. If he does it on purpose, knowing
that it is forbidden, he has committed a grave sin and must repent. There are
two opinions on this: the more correct one is that there is to be expiation.”
He further says, “All scholars say that one may touch anything above the navel
or below the knees. Most scholars say that it is permissible to touch what is
between the navel and the knees, but not the vagina or anus.” An-Nawawi
(rahimallāh) concludes that it is permitted but hated, as that is the strongest
position from the evidence. This evidence is based upon the practice of the Allah’s
Messenger (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam)’s wives: when he wished to be with
them during their period, they would put something over their vagina. (Related
by Abu Dawud) Al-Hafez observes, “Its chain is
strong.” Masruq ibn al-Ajda' asked 'Aishah, "What is off limits to
me sexually during my wife's menstruation?" She said, "Nothing,
except the vagina." (Related by al-Bukhari in his Tarikh)
5
- Women with Prolonged Flows of Blood
Islam defines such an occurrence as
the flowing of blood outside of the regular time. This usually happens in three
specific cases. In the first case, the woman knows that her flow of menstrual
blood is lasting longer than usual. In such a case, she will act according to
her customary period, and the remainder will be considered days of prolonged
blood flows. This is based on the hadith of Umm Salamah (radiyallāhu`anha) in
which she asked the Allah’s Messenger (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) about this
condition. He (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) said, “She
should wait for the days and nights of her normal period and figure them out of
the month, and she should leave the prayer during those days. (Afterwards) she
should perform ghusl, tighten something around her vagina and then pray.”
(Related by Malik, ash-Shafi and “the five,” except for at-Tirmidzi.)
Evaluating the report, an-Nawawi (rahimallāh)
says, “Its chain meets the conditions (of al-Bukhari and Muslim).” Al-Khattabi (rahimallāh)
holds, “That regulation is for the woman who is
experiencing prolonged blood flows. If the blood is flowing, the Allah’s
Messenger (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) ordered her to leave the prayer during
her regular period, and to perform ghusl after her customary time has passed.
Then, she becomes just like any other purified person.”
In the second case, a woman does not
know her period well enough to determine if she is experiencing menstrual
bleeding or a prolonged flow of blood. In that case, her menstruation is
considered to be six or seven days, which is the most common among women.
Jamnah bint Jahsh (radiyallāhu`anha)
said, “I had a very strong prolonged flow of blood. I went to the Allah’s
Messenger (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) to ask him about it. When I asked him
if I had to stop praying and fasting, he (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) said ‘Tie around a cloth, and it will stop.’ I said, ‘It is
greater than that.’ He said, ‘Curb it.’ I said, ‘It flows greatly.’ He then (Sallallāhu
`alayhi wa sallam) said, “You may do one of two things: either one will suffice;
which one you are able to do you know best. This is a strike from Satan. Be on
your period for six or seven days, which Allah knows, and then perform ghusl
until you see that you are clean. Pray for fourteen nights or thirteen nights
and days and fast, and that will be sufficient for you. Do that every month as
the other women become pure and menstruate. If you can, you may delay the noon
prayer and hasten the afternoon prayer. Perform ghusl and pray the noon and
afternoon prayers together. Then delay the sunset and hasten the night prayers
and pray them together. Perform ghusl for the Morning Prayer and pray it. This
is how you may pray and fast if you have the ability to do so...”.” And he (Sallallāhu
`alayhi wa sallam) said, “That is the more loved way to me.”
As to the authenticity of the
hadith, it is related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidzi, who grades it as
hassan sahih. He says, “I asked al-Bukhari about it, and he called it hassan.”
Ahmad Ibn Hanbal (rahimallāh) says it is hassan sahih.
Al-Khattabi (rahimallāh) observes,
in a note to this hadith, that this is for the woman who is a “beginner” and
does not know her regular days of menstruation. The Allah’s Messenger
(Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) told her
to act according to the customary situation of women, and to consider herself
as having her period only once a month, like most women. His statement, ‘As
women menstruate and as they become pure’ points to this fact. This is by
analogy to the affairs of women with respect to each other in menstruation,
pregnancy, maturity and other affairs of theirs.”
In the third case, a woman has a
regular period, but she is able to distinguish the blood. She should,
therefore, behave according to the type of blood she sees. Fatimah bint Abu
Hubaish had a prolonged flow of blood, and the Allah’s Messenger (Sallallāhu
`alayhi wa sallam) told her, “If it is menstrual
blood, it is dark and recognizable. If you have that, abstain from the prayer.
If it is other than that, make ablution and pray, for it is a vein.” In
the case normal period the Allah’s Messenger (Sallallāhu
`alayhi wa sallam), said to Fatimah bint Abu Habish, “Do
not pray during your period. After it has ended, perform ghusl and pray.”
(Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim)
6 - Women Who Fall Into Any Of These Categories Must Abide By
The Following Regulations:
6.1 - Ghusul
She does not have to perform ghusl
for every prayer, except for the one time when her period or blood flow has
ended.
6.2 - She Must Make
Ablution for Every Prayer
The Allah’s Messenger (Sallallāhu
`alayhi wa sallam) said, “Make ablution for every
prayer.” According to Malik (rahimallāh), this is only preferred and not
obligatory (unless she nullifies her ablution, of course).
6.3 - Keeping the
Blood in Check
She is to wash her vagina before she
makes ablution, and she should wear something which soaks up the blood. It is
preferred for her to do what she can to keep the blood in check.
6.4- Wudhu' (Ablution)
She should not make ablution before
the prayer’s time begins.
6.5 – She may have sex
She may have intercourse with her
husband even while the blood is flowing, according to most scholars, because
there is no evidence to the contrary. Ibn ‘Abbas (radiyallāhu`anhu) said, “If she can pray, her husband can have intercourse with
her.” Al-Bukhari says that if she is pure enough for prayer, she
certainly must be pure enough for intercourse. Abu Dawud and al-Baihaqi related
that ‘Akramah bint Hamnah had a prolonged flow of blood and that her husband
had intercourse with her. An-Nawawi (rahimallāh) holds its chain to be hassan.
7-
What She Can Do When She Purified
Herself
When she purified herself she is
considered a pure person, and she may observe solat, fast, remain in the
mosque, recite the Qur’an, and touch a copy of the Qur’an, and so on.
And Allāh Almighty Knows best.
Excerpted
from Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Volume 1: “Menstruation” by Sayyid Sābiq
SEE: ALL ABOUT SOLAH
1. The Purification; 2. The Menstruation; 3. The Ghusul ;
6. The Adzān
11. Adhkar in the Solāh; 12. Du'ā Al-Qunūt;
13. Places Where Offering Solāh
Is Prohibited; 14. Placing a Sutrah In front of One Who is Performing Solah.;
15. What is permissible During the Solāh?; 16. The Acts that Renders Solāh
Invalid; 17. Disliked Actions during the Solāh; 18. The Solāh in Times of Fear or Danger;
19. The Solāh of a Sick Person
;
22. Solāh of a Traveler;
23. Solāh Qasar; 24. Solāh Jama’; 25. The Solāh Jama’ ;
26. The Masajid; 27. The Etiquette at the Masjid;
29. Solāh al-Jumu`ah; 30. The Sanctified Hour of Jumu’ah.
33. Dzikirullāh after Solāh; 34. Du`ā Recited After the Solāh.
;
36. Solāh al-Hajjat ; 37. Solāh al-Tahajjud ;
38. Solāh al-Tarawih ;
39. Solāh al-Dhuha ; 40. Solāh al-Hajjat ;
41. Solāh al-Istikhārah ;
42. Solāh al-Janāzah; 43. Solāh al-Jumu`ah;
44. Solāh al-Kasuf ;
45.Solāh al-Khauf ;
46. Solāh al-Marid; 47. Solāh al-Tahajjud ;
48. Solāh al-Tahiyyyatul Masjid;
49. Solāh al-Tarawih; 50. Solāh al-Tawbah ;
51. Solāh al-Witr; 52. Solāh al-Wudhu’ ; 53. Solāh Eid ul Fitr
