How Does A Muslimah Know That She Finished Her Menstruation And Can Start Praying?

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.

Allah has created a woman and she has a major role in the perpetuation of the human race. Subhanallah. The primary reproductive organs of a woman are her ovaries. When a girl is born, her ovaries have already contained about 400,000 immature eggs (which are known as ova) and at puberty the eggs start maturing, usually one ovum in each month. The maturing ovum takes place roughly halfway between two menstrual cycles and after matured, it finds its way from the ovary to the fallopian tube and ends up in the womb.

Meanwhile, the womb (while preparing for the possible arrival of a fertilized egg) develops a thick, soft, velvety lining which is made up mostly of blood vessels. This thick, soft lining in the womb is called endometrium. If an egg is fertilized, it will be embedded in en­dometrium and continues its growth, but if no egg is fertilized, the endometrium (i.e. the lining of the womb) is no longer needed and is shed or discarded. This pro­cess of discarding the endometrium is known as menstruation or haidh.

Prayer is the second most important pillar of Islam and is the most regular compulsory action in a Muslim’s life. The Prophet, Shalallahu ‘alaihi wasallam, said:

“The first of his deeds for which a man will be called to account on the Day of Resurrection will be the prayers. If it is found to be perfect, he will be safe and successful. But if it is defective, he will be unfortunate and a loser.”

As women, we are given mercy from Allah while on our menstruation (haidh) which is the natural flow of blood from the womb occurring approximately monthly in post-menarcheal women and we are not allowed to pray. We are allowed to pray again after we see normal indication of purity, like the white emission, if it is normal for us to see it by inserting a piece of white cotton or something similar into the place where the blood comes from: if it comes out clean, then our period is over and we have to do ghusl (take a shower) and pray. We should not be hasty, however. If we have no visible sign, then we should wait until the blood has completely stopped or If the cloth comes out red, yellow or brown, she should not pray.

Narrated ‘Aisha, Radhiallahu ‘anha:

A woman asked the Prophet about the bath which is take after finishing from the menses. The Prophet told her what to do and said, “Purify yourself with a piece of cloth scented with musk.” The woman asked, “How shall I purify myself with it” He said, “Subhan Allah! Purify yourself (with it).” I pulled her to myself and said, “Rub the place soiled with blood with it.”( Sahih BukhariVolume !, Book 6)

A’ishah, Radhiallahu ‘anha,  said relates  about menstruation that the women used to send to her the cloths containing yellow menstrual blood for her decision about the end of their periods, so she said: “Do not be hasty. Wait until you see the white emission.” [al-Muwatta’ (117)].

Many fuqahaa’ (the scholars) have different opinions about the shortest length of a woman’s period. They have said that the shortest is a day and a night, and the longest is fifteen days.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, Radhiallahu ‘anhu, said there was no minimum or maximum for it; when the bleeding is present with its distinct qualities, this is menstruation, whether it is a little or a lot. He said: “Menstruation (haidh): Allah has attached numerous rulings to it in the Al- Qur’an and As-Sunnah, but He did not state the shortest or longest length (of a menstrual period), or the length of the period of taharah between two menstrual periods, even though the need to know that exists.” (Majmoo’ al-Fataawaa, 19/237).

To determine the longest duration of menstruation (haidh), Hanafi said  ten days seems to be the strongest. Then, based on this, if the bleeding exceeds the longest duration of menstruation (more than ten days), it is considered “al-istihaadah,” (irregular, non-menstrual vaginal bleeding) which is different from menstrual bleeding. If a woman had regular periods and then they became irregular and exceeded the longest duration of haidh, or if she was never regular and now her periods are longer than the longest haidh duration, she will belong to one of the following three categories:

1. She knows the difference between the menstrual and non-menstrual bloods.

When Fatimah bint Abi Hubaish, Radhiallahu ‘anha, had a prolonged flow of blood, the Prophet, Shalallahu ‘alihi Wasallam, 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.” (Narrated by An-Nasa’i). 

This is if she knows the difference between the menstrual blood – which is black (dark red) in color, thick and heavy in consistency, with a distinct smell, and doesn’t clot – then she will consider that bleeding her haidh. If it is the other type (istihaadah) – which is lighter and thinner – it is her period of purity (tuhr), which should not be less than fifteen days according to the strongest position, which is the majority position as well.

2. She can’t distinguish between the two types from each other, nor can an expert do that, but she remembers her previous habit.

If she can’t distinguish between the two types, and neither is an expert able, then she will try to depend on her previous habit, and avoid praying and fasting of every month during the days she used to have haidh and then resume her acts of worship (sholat).

This is because `A’ishah, Radhiallahu ‘anha, the wife of the Prophet, Shalallahu ‘alaihi Wa sallam, said:

“Umm Habiba bint Jahsh complained to the Messenger of Allah  about excessive bleeding. He said to her: Remain away from prayer equal to the length of time that your menstruation holds you back.  After this, bathe yourself and pray.” (Narrated by: Al-Bukhari).

3. She can neither sort the two types of blood out (or they happened to be one type), nor can she remember her previous habit (or she didn’t have one).

If she can neither sort the two types of blood out (or they happened to be one type), nor can she remember her previous habit (or she didn’t have one), then she may consider her bleeding as haidh for six to seven days, and fast and pray for the rest of the month.

This is because the Prophet, Shalallahu ‘alaihi Wa sallam, said to Hamnah bint Jahsh: “Observe your menses for six or seven days, Allah alone knows which it should be; then wash. And when you see that you are purified and quite clean, pray for twenty three or twenty four days and nights and fast, for that will be enough for you, and do so every month, just as women menstruate and are purified at the time of their menstruation and their purification.” (Narrated by Abu Dawud).

Allah Almighty Knows best. May Allah forgive me if I am wrong and guide us to the right path. Allahumma Aamiin.

 

Source:

 – Book of Mutiara Hadits ( Pearl of Hadith): Thaharah & Shalat ( Teungku Muhammad Ash Shiddieqy).

–  onislam.net/ask the scholars

– Islam Q&A – Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

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