As salamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu
We the women have multiple questions on this topic, and it is the cause of a lot of confusion as well. We will address some of the common questions in sha Allah.
What is the minimum period of purity?
There is no set minimum limit for the period of purity between two menstrual periods, rather when a woman sees the blood – i.e., menstrual blood which is “black” (dark red), recognizable and has a distinct odour – she should refrain from fasting and praying, on condition that the total number of days of menstrual bleeding does not exceed half of the cycle (i.e., fifteen days in the month).
The most common question- Brownish or Yellowish discharge.
If this brownish discharge that the woman sees comes before she sees that she is pure (i.e., seeing a white discharge which indicates that the period is over), then it is part of the period. If it comes after she sees that she is pure, then it is not part of the period and does not affect her praying and fasting.
But she should not rush until she has seen that she is pure, because some women, when the bleeding lessens, rush and do ghusl before seeing that the period is over (the white discharge mentioned above). Hence the women of the Sahaabah used to send the cotton with yellowish discharge to the mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), and she would tell them: “Do not hasten until you see the white discharge.”
If the brownish or yellowish discharge comes after she becomes pure, then it is not menstruation, because Umm ‘Atiyyah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “We used not to regard the brownish or yellowish discharge that comes after a woman becomes pure as being anything that mattered.” Narrated by Abu Dawood with a saheeh isnaad.
What if her period begins just a moment before sunset?
If a woman gets her period while fasting, her fast is spoiled, even if the blood comes a moment before sunset, and she has to make that up if it was an obligatory fast. It is haraam for her to continue fasting when she is menstruating.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said in his essay:
If a woman menstruates when she is fasting, her fast is invalidated even if that is a moment just before sunset, and she has to make up that day if it was an obligatory fast.
If she feels that her period is about to begin but nothing comes out until after sunset, then her fast is complete and is not invalidated, according to the correct view.
What about a woman who saw some menstrual blood after Maghrib prayer, and she does not know whether it came before Maghrib or after – what is the ruling on her prayer and fasting?
Shaykh Ash- Shanqeeti said: “If she saw the blood and thinks it most likely that it came before Maghrib, then there is no doubt that the fast of that day is invalid and she has to make it up.
But if she thinks it most likely that the blood is fresh and that it happened after Maghrib, then there is no doubt that her fast is valid and she has to pray Maghrib when she becomes pure (i.e., her period ends and she does ghusl); she should make it up and offer that prayer.
But if she is uncertain, then the basic principle according to the scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) is that it should be attributed to the closest time. The basic principle is that the fast remains valid unless there is evidence to prove that it is not valid, and the basic principle is that she has fasted a whole day and has done what is required of her, unless we are certain that there is any evidence to the contrary. So in this case her fast is deemed to be valid. As for the blood, it does not affect that day. On the other hand, if you say that her fast is valid, she has to make up Maghrib, and if you say that her fast is not valid, she does not have to make up Maghrib, so if her fast is valid she has to make up Maghrib, because the time of Maghrib began when she was not menstruating, and her menses began after that, so she has to make up Maghrib, because what matters is the beginning of the time (for Maghrib), not the end.”
What if she becomes pure before dawn?
If the blood of menstruation or nifaas (post-partum bleeding) stops at night, then dawn comes before the woman does ghusl, her fast is valid and she has to complete it, whether she did not do ghusl deliberately or because she forgot, with or without an excuse.
If a woman becomes pure before Fajr then she should have the intention of fasting and her fast is valid, even if she does not do ghusl until after dawn comes.
If dawn comes when the woman is menstruating, it is not valid for her to fast that day even if she becomes pure even a moment after dawn.
Can a menstruating woman recite the Quran?
The principle is that things are allowed and permitted unless there is evidence to the contrary. There is no such evidence to say that a menstruating woman is not allowed to recite Qur’aan. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: “There is no clear, saheeh text to indicate that a menstruating woman is forbidden to recite Qur’aan… It is known that women used to menstruate at the time of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and he did not forbid them to recite Qur’aan, or to remember Allaah (dhikr) and offer du’aa’.”
Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, commands (Muslims) to recite Qur’aan. He praises the one who does so, and promises him (or her) a great reward. No one is excluded from this except the one concerning whom there is solid evidence (daleel), and there is no such evidence in the case of menstruating women, as stated above.
The evidence of those who allow a menstruating woman to recite Qur’aan is stronger. If a woman wants to err on the side of caution, she can limit her recitation to the passages which she is afraid of forgetting.
It is very important to note that what we have been discussing here is restricted to what a menstruating woman recites from memory. When it comes to reading from the Mus-haf (the Arabic text itself), a different rule applies. The correct view of the scholars is that it is forbidden to touch the mus-haf when one is in any kind of state of impurity, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… which none can touch except the purified.” [al-Waaqi’ah 56:79].
There is nothing wrong with a menstruating woman reading Qur’aan without touching the Mus-haf. Reading the Quran from the computer screen is fine, because we are not actually touching the book. As for ahaadeeth, the menstruating woman is permitted to touch the books of Hadeeth and to read from them. If she needs to read from the Mushaf, she may touch it with a barrier, such as a piece of clean cloth or a handkerchief or gloves and the like. There is nothing wrong with a female student reciting Qur’aan, or a teacher doing so for an exam or otherwise, if it is done from memory and not from the Mushaf. But if one of them needs to read from the Mushaf, there is nothing wrong with that on condition that it be done with a barrier.
Pregnancy and bleeding
The blood which may be passed during pregnancy may be menstrual blood, or it may be irregular vaginal bleeding, or it may be the blood of nifaas. It is the blood of nifaas if it comes at the time of labour contractions. Some of the scholars said (that it is the blood of nifaas) even if it comes two or three days before delivery.
Shaykh al-Islam said: With regard to that (blood) which is seen two or three days before delivery, it is nifaas, because it is blood that comes out because of giving birth, so it is nifaas just like blood that comes out afterwards. This is because pregnant women rarely see blood, but if a pregnant woman sees blood close to the time of delivery, it is obviously because of birth, especially if she is having contractions.
It is menstrual blood if it has the characteristics of menstrual blood and comes at the time when she usually menstruates. This is the view favoured by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem and Ibn ‘Uthaymeen.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said:
If a pregnant woman experiences persistent bleeding that comes at the time of the month when she usually menstruates and looks like menstrual blood, then it is most likely to be menstruation and she should stop praying, fasting etc, because of that. The only difference with regular menstrual blood is that it has no bearing on the ‘iddah [in case of divorce or widowhood], because pregnancy is the stronger factor in that case.
The view that a pregnant woman may menstruate is the view of al-Shaafa’i and was narrated in one report from Ahmad; it was also the view favoured by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah; but it is very rare for pregnant women to menstruate.
It is irregular vaginal bleeding if it is something other than that described above (i.e., menstruation or nifaas); this is red blood that is discharged in the case of istihaadah (irregular menstrual flow). This is what some women call al-nazeef (lit. haemorrhage).
This does not mean that a woman should not pray or fast; rather she comes under the same rulings as women who are taahir (pure, i.e., not menstruating)
Hope that solves many of the queries bi iznillah
As salamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatahu.
LIFE 