Understanding basic rules about Menstruation

[ummtaalib]

Question

I have a question about my period.

 

I am a new Muslim and I am not sure about some things during period. From past some months my period is not very regular. It comes for a half a day (just few spots), then stops for a day or two, then comes for full five days.Sometimes it comes for half day(just few spots), then stops for a day or two, again comes for half a day, again stops for a day or two and then comes full five days. Sometimes during the first half a day, it is just spots and sometimes it is when I wipe with tissue(doesn’t flow)

 

When it stops for a day or two days, do I have to have to do ghusl and pray until it comes for five full days again?

 

Also I was trying to look in your site for questions like these and I found terms like haidh, Istihadah. I do not understand these terms either. Please let me know about these and when can I pray and not pray.

 

Also can I read or recite  or listen to Quran during my periods? Please let me know

 

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

 

May Allah grant you steadfastness on Dīn and bless you with beneficial knowledge.

 

Please take note of a few general rulings/points regarding menstruation:

 

1). Haid is the Arabic term for menstruation.

 

2). Istihādah is the Arabic term for blood which is not classified as menstrual blood or lochia. For example, if blood continues to flow after the normal days of the cycle, and exceeds ten days when added to the days of the cycle, then the days after the normal cycle will be called days of istihādah.

 

3). The minimum period of a valid menstruation/haid is three days. The maximum is 10 days.

 

4). Spotting or even a drop of blood, whether day or night, will render the day a “blood day.”

 

5). A woman in menstruation may not touch or recite the Quran. However, she may listen to the Quran. She may also do zikr (engage in remembrance of Allah by saying Subhan Allah, Allahu Akbar, etc.)

 

In reference to your situation, if blood continues to flow after the normal days of your cycle, and exceeds ten days when added to the days of the cycle, then the days after the normal cycle will be called days of istihādah.[1] A woman in istihādah will perform wudū for every prayer time and perform her salah.[2]

 

For example,

• Person A has a normal cycle of 6 days of menstruation every month.
• In a particular month, after the 6 days of her normal cycle, blood continued to flow for an additional 6 days.
• Days 7, 8…12 will be days of istihādah.
• In the days of istihādah, Person A will perform wudū for every salah time and perform her salah.

 

However, if blood does not exceed ten days, then the cycle will be considered changed.

 

For example,

• Person A has a normal cycle of 6 days of menstruation every month.
• In a particular month, after the 6 days of her normal cycle, blood continued to flow for an additional 2 days.
• Person A’s new cycle will be 8 days. 

 

N.B. All days of blood will be added together unless there is a 15 day gap of no blood in between.[3]

 

For example,

• Person A has a normal cycle of 6 days of menstruation every month.
• In a particular month, after the 6 days of her normal cycle, blood continued to flow on every alternate day for the next 8 days.
• Days 1, 2…6 will remain days of haid (menstruation), and days 7, 8…14 will be days of istihādah.

 

Alternate example,

• Person A has a normal cycle of 6 days of menstruation every month.
• In a particular month, after the 6 days of her normal cycle, blood continued to flow on every alternate day for the next 4 days.
• Person A’s new cycle will be 10 days. 

 

Please feel free to contact us if you have any further queries.

 

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Hisham Dawood

Student Darul Iftaa
Chicago, USA

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

 

 

[1]

 (قَوْلُهُ وَالزَّائِدُ عَلَى أَكْثَرِهِ) أَيْ فِي حَقِّ الْمُبْتَدَأَةِ ، أَمَّا الْمُعْتَادَةُ فَمَا زَادَ عَلَى عَادَتِهَا وَيُجَاوِزُ الْعَشَرَةَ فِي الْحَيْضِ وَالْأَرْبَعِينَ فِي النِّفَاسِ يَكُونُ اسْتِحَاضَةً كَمَا أَشَارَ إلَيْهِ بِقَوْلِهِ أَوْ عَلَى الْعَادَةِ إلَخْ .أَمَّا إذَا لَمْ يَتَجَاوَزْ الْأَكْثَرَ فِيهِمَا ، فَهُوَ انْتِقَالٌ لِلْعَادَةِ فِيهِمَا ، فَيَكُونُ حَيْضًا وَنِفَاسًا رَحْمَتِيٌّ

( رد المحتار علي الدر المختار،ج ١،ص ٥٢٤، دار المعرفة)

 

[2]

 (وأما) حكم الاستحاضة فالمستحاضة حكمها حكم الطاهرات غير أنها تتوضأ لوقت كل صلاة على ما بينا (بدائع الصنائع، الاستحاضة وأحكامها)

 

[3]

 (أَقَلُّ الطُّهْرِ) بَيْنَ الْحَيْضَتَيْنِ أَوْ النِّفَاسِ وَالْحَيْضِ (خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْمًا) وَلَيَالِيهَا إجْمَاعًا (وَلَا حَدَّ لِأَكْثَرِهِ)

(رد المحتار علي الدر المختار. ج ١، ص ٢٨٥، ايج ايم سعيد كمبني)

 

 

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