Rules of Menstruation and Postnatal Bleeding

Rules of Menstruation

Overview of Menstruation Rules

Menstruation encompasses five essential rules, which are elaborated upon below:

Obligation of Ghusl after Menstrual Blood Ceases: A woman who experiences menstruation is required to perform ghusl (ritual washing) after the menstrual bleeding has stopped. This is supported by the words of Allah – the Almighty – in the Quran: “They ask you about menstruation. Say, ‘It is a type of harm. So keep away from women during their menstruation and do not approach them until they are pure. And when they have purified themselves, then go to them from where Allah has ordained for you.'” Furthermore, the Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him – advised Fatimah bint Abu Hubaysh – may Allah be pleased with her -: “But leave the prayer for the number of days you used to menstruate, then wash and pray.”
Puberty: An individual female becomes accountable for religious obligations and is required to cover herself upon reaching puberty. The Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him – stated: “Allah does not accept the prayer of a menstruating woman unless she wears a hijab.”
Waiting Period after Menstruation: The Hanafi and Hanbali schools believe that a divorced woman, who is not pregnant, observes her waiting period (iddah) based on her menstrual cycles. This is because the term “quroo” mentioned in the Quran is interpreted to mean menstruation, thus ending her waiting period at the conclusion of her third cycle without considering the cycle during which the divorce occurred. Conversely, the Maliki and Shafi’i schools interpret “quroo” to signify purity; thus, they consider her waiting period completed upon the start of her third menstruation.
Verification of Pregnancy: The wisdom behind the waiting period in Islam is to ensure that the womb is free from pregnancy, which is ascertained by the conclusion of the woman’s waiting period in cases of menstruation.
Expensive for Engaging in Intercourse During Menstruation: The Hanbali school holds that a husband must atone for any sexual relations with his wife during her menstrual period, whether during the onset of bleeding or just before its cessation. This is derived from the Quranic verse: “And do not approach them until they are pure. And when they have purified themselves, then go to them from where Allah has ordained for you.” Abdullah ibn Abbas – may Allah be pleased with him – clarified that the term “when they have purified themselves” means when they have performed ghusl. Consequently, sexual relations with a menstruating wife is only permissible after her bleeding has ceased and she has performed ghusl.
Religious Acts Forbidden to Menstruating Women: Several actions are prohibited for women during menstruation, which will be addressed in a dedicated section below.

Prohibitions for Menstruating Women

It is important to note that certain actions are forbidden for women during their menstrual periods, including the following:

Prayer: Menstruating women are prohibited from performing both obligatory and voluntary prayers. This pertains to two main issues:
- First: If a woman’s menstrual bleeding stops before the time for an obligatory prayer concludes, even if only a brief moment exists for the starting takbir, she is required to make up that prayer. For example, if she purifies herself before the time for the Asr prayer ends, she must then perform both Dhuhr and Asr prayers – as the Dhuhr prayer is generally combined with Asr.
- Second: If the woman begins menstruating at the start or during the time for an obligatory prayer, and there was sufficient time to perform it and purify herself, she must make it up once her menstruation concludes. For example, if she starts menstruating after half an hour into the Asr prayer time, she must perform it afterward, but if she begins menstruating at the start of the Asr period, she is not required to make it up due to the lack of time for both the prayer and purification.
Tawaf: Menstruating women are prohibited from performing tawaf around the Kaaba, whether it be obligatory or voluntary. The Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him – indicated this when he stated: “Tawaf of the house is equivalent to prayer, but Allah has permitted speech during it.” Additionally, he instructed Umm al-Mu’minin Aisha – may Allah be pleased with her – when she menstruated during Hajj: “Do as the pilgrim does, except that you should not perform tawaf until you are pure.”
Fasting: It is forbidden for menstruating women to fast. This was confirmed by Umm al-Mu’minin Aisha – may Allah be pleased with her – who said: “We used to menstruate in the presence of the Prophet – peace be upon him – and he would instruct us to make up our fasts.”
Purification with Intent to Worship: A menstruating woman is forbidden from engaging in purification to remove minor or major ritual impurities with the intention of worship, as this constitutes a trivialization of worship. However, non-obligatory purification like ghusl for preparation of Ihram or for performing stoning is permissible.
Touching or Carrying the Mushaf: The Mushaf, which is a compilation of Quranic verses, should not be touched by menstruating women. This is supported by the verse: “None touch it except the purified.” The Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him – also stated: “None should touch the Quran except the pure.” Carrying the Mushaf is also prohibited unless it is with other belongings where the intention is not solely to carry it.
Reciting the Holy Quran: It is forbidden for menstruating women to recite the Quran for two reasons: firstly, if the intention is solely to read, but if the purpose is for remembrance, protection, or moral lessons, there is no issue. Secondly, if recitation involves vocalization and moving the tongue, but if it is done internally (such as reflecting on the verses without verbal recitation), there is no issue. The Maliki school has allowed for recitation during menstruation, as have al-Tabari, Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim, and Ibn Uthaymeen.
Staying in the Mosque: Menstruating women are prohibited from remaining in a mosque, as noted by the Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him – when he said: “Indeed, I do not permit the mosque for a menstruating woman.” Moreover, many scholars believe it is also forbidden for them to pass through it, meaning entering from one door and exiting from another, particularly if they fear causing pollution. However, if there is no such concern, it is merely disliked.
Divorce: Divorcing a menstruating woman is prohibited unless compensation is offered. This is evidenced by Allah’s words: “O Prophet, when you divorce women, divorce them for their waiting period and count the waiting period accurately,” meaning that the divorce should occur in a state of purity and when she has not been touched by her husband. Abdullah ibn Umar – may Allah be pleased with him – narrated: “Ibn Umar divorced his wife while she was menstruating. Umar inquired from the Prophet – peace be upon him – who commanded him to take her back and then divorce her in accordance with her waiting period.”
Physical Intimacy Between the Navel and Knees: Engaging in sexual intimacy with a menstruating woman in the area between the navel and knees is prohibited. This is supported by the narration from Umm al-Mu’minin Aisha – may Allah be pleased with her – who said: “One of us, when she was menstruating, would be addressed by the Prophet – peace be upon him – to wear a wrap during her menstrual period and then engage intimately with her. She remarked: Who amongst you can control his desires as the Prophet – peace be upon him – could?”

Definition of Menstruation

In Arabic, menstruation is derived from the verb “hāda,” meaning to flow; thus, it refers to the flowing of blood. In a legal context, it is characterized as blood that naturally discharges at specific intervals from the deepest womb of a woman. Scholars differ regarding the minimum and maximum durations of menstruation, as follows:

Hanafi School: They assert the minimum duration of menstruation is three days, while the maximum is ten days. Any flow lasting less than three or more than ten days is considered istihada (irregular bleeding).
Maliki School: They state that the minimum duration of menstruation is limitless, while the maximum is fifteen days. If a woman does not stop bleeding after her customary period, she should extend her duration by an additional three days, provided it does not exceed her usual period combined with the maximum for menstruation.
Shafi’i and Hanbali Schools: They agree that the minimum duration for menstruation is one day and one night, with a maximum of fifteen days including the nights, according to customary practices, as there are no definitive limits for menstruation in either language or religion.

Rules Regarding Istihada

Overview of Istihada Rules

Istihada does not prevent a woman from performing fasting or prayer. This was confirmed by Umm al-Mu’minin Aisha – may Allah be pleased with her – who reported that Fatimah bint Abi Hubaysh came to the Prophet – peace be upon him – and said, “O Messenger of Allah, I am a woman experiencing istihada and I do not attain purity. Should I abandon my prayer?” The Prophet replied, “No, that is simply a vein, and it is not menstruation.” However, a woman must perform specific actions to purify herself for prayer, including:

Washing the private area before performing wudu.
Using cotton or similar material to absorb or lessen the flow of blood, provided she is not fasting, this does not cause her harm, and it is necessary.
Performing wudu before every prayer.

Definition of Istihada

Istihada is abnormal bleeding characterized by its red color, occurring from the lowest part of the womb outside of the time of menstruation or postpartum, or it may coincide with either of those periods. The cause results from the disconnection of a vein that does not cease until the woman recovers. Women experiencing istihada are considered pure and are permitted to perform prayer, fasting, and intimate relations, as agreed upon by scholars.

Seven Types of Istihada

It is crucial to clarify the seven types of istihada and determine the ruling for each type as follows:

Newly Experienced and Recognized: This category includes women who experience menstrual bleeding for the first time without having previous menstrual blood. A “recognized” experience implies the ability to distinguish between strong and weak blood with specific criteria, such as ensuring strong blood does not fall short of the minimum menstruation period and does not surpass the maximum, while weak blood must not fall below the minimum purity period, and its flow must be continuous. The ruling for this category dictates treating strong blood as menstruation and weak blood as purity.
Newly Experienced and Unrecognized: This category refers to women who experience bleeding with visible strong and weak blood but lack distinguishing characteristics, or only see one color of blood (red, black, or yellow). The ruling states that her menstruation lasts a day and a night, while the purity phase lasts twenty-nine days. If bleeding continues past the fifteen-day mark but changes in quality (for instance, turning yellowish or brownish), she should perform ghusl and pray. Conversely, if it deepens in color, she should wait and observe.
Established and Recognized: This type pertains to women who have previously experienced menstruation and purity, can distinguish between strong and weak blood, and satisfy the previously mentioned distinguishing conditions. Rulings for this category dictate treating strong blood as menstruation and weak blood as purity as the distinguishing characteristic takes precedence over habitual cycles.
Established and Unrecognized: Previously defined, women in this category operate under their established pattern of menstruation and purity.
Established with Memory of Time but Not Quantity: These are women who remember the time of their menstruation but not the number of days. The ruling is determined by certainty for both menstruation and purity. For instance, a woman may recall menstruating at the beginning of the month, so the first day and night are treated with certainty as menstruation, while after half a month, she becomes certain of purity. The interval between the first day and half of the month is uncertain and could involve menstruation, purity, or cessation; thus, she must wash for each prayer until she recognizes the end of her period.
Established with Memory of Quantity but Not Time: This category mirrors the previous one since it entails recalling the number of days without specific timing. The ruling aligns with that of the established category with memory of time.
Established with No Memory of Time or Quantity: These women cannot recall either timing or the number of days and are termed absolutely confused. The rulings state that they are treated as menstruating women for six actions, which include physical intimacy between the navel and knees, recitation or touching of the Quran, and remaining in or passing through the mosque. Conversely, they are regarded as pure for five actions: prayer, fasting, tawaf, divorce, and ghusl.

Distinguishing Between Menstruation and Istihada

Several characteristics differentiate menstrual blood from istihada, as detailed below:

Color of Blood: Menstrual blood generally exhibits a progression from black to red and finally to yellowish or brown; whereas, istihada blood remains a consistent bright red color.
Odor of Blood: Menstrual blood typically emits an unpleasant odor, while istihada blood does not.
Timing of Blood Flow: Menstrual blood only appears at specific times recognized by the woman, whereas istihada does not adhere to this pattern.
Density and Thickness of Blood: Menstrual blood tends to be dense and thick, while istihada blood is not.