Q695 :Could you please explain the position with
regard to exemption from prayer for women during their period,
especially if it is prolonged.
A695 : Some scholars mention a number of days for
the minimum duration of a woman’s period and they also quote a figure
to indicate the maximum days of such a period. There is no Hadith to
indicate a minimum span of time when a woman is in menstruation. What
we can say is that the minimum is a single flow. Nor is there a maximum
period for menstruation. We do not have any reliable report to estimate
its duration. I say this knowing that some scholars mention one full
day, i.e. twenty-four hours, for the minimum period of menstruation and
ten or fifteen days for its maximum. None of these figures relies on a
specific and authentic Hadith. Menses is recognized by its color. The
Prophet is quoted to have said: “The blood of menses is dark, easily
recognized.” During a woman’s period, her discharge may have different
colors, ranging from almost black, to red, to yellow or a dark color
between white and black. Normally, a woman can distinguish whether her
discharge is menses or not. Some women may have a prolonged discharge,
but that does not mean that they have a prolonged menstruation. If a
woman has such a prolonged discharge, then she has to distinguish
between her menses and a discharge that does not stop her from offering
prayers or fasting. There are three situations: i) A woman with a
regular period. This is the case of a woman who used to have her
menstruation lasting for six, seven or eight days on a regular basis.
If she happens to have prolonged discharges afterward, then she should
take count of her normal period, then she takes a bath and begins
prayer. This is understood from a Hadith when, Umm Salamah, one of the
Prophet’s wives, asked him about a woman who was having a continuous
discharge. He said: “Let her consider the number of days and nights for
which she used to have her period every month. She need not pray during
those days. Afterward, she should take a bath, use a piece of cloth or
cotton, and offer her prayers.” (Related by Al-Bukhari, Muslim and
others). This Hadith applies to a woman who used to have a regular
period before she developed this disorder. ii) A woman who does not
have a regular period and cannot distinguish her menses from ordinary
bleeding. The Prophet’s sister-in-law, a young woman, had this trouble
when she had just attained puberty. She told the Prophet that her
discharge had prevented her from praying and fasting. The Prophet said
to her: “I suggest that you use cotton because it absorbs blood.” She
told him that her discharge was too strong for that. He suggested that
she should tie herself properly, but she again said that her discharge
was too strong. He said to her: “I will describe to you two courses of
action and you may choose either of them.” He then explained her
condition and told her: “You count your period six or seven days, as
God knows, then have a bath until you feel that you have purified and
cleansed yourself. You offer your prayers for twenty-four or
twenty-three days and nights, and fast as usual. Your action is
sufficient for that. You may repeat this every month as other women
have their normal periods and cleanse themselves in accordance with
their regular time of menses and cleanliness. Alternatively, you may
choose to delay offering Dhuhr prayer and bring Asr prayer forward: You
have a shower then pray Dhuhr and Asr together; then you delay Maghrib
and bring Isha forward and netbine the two prayers together. Then you
have another shower for Fajr prayer and offer it. You may do like this
and fast and pray if you can.” The Prophet then added: “This last
course is the one I would prefer.” (Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawood and
At-Tirmithi). Al-Bukhari netmented that this is an authentic Hadith.
iii) If she does not have a regular period but can distinguish menses
from other discharge. In this case, she relies on distinguishing one
from the other. The Prophet said to a woman named Fatimah who had the
trouble of prolonged discharge: “Menses is dark and can be
distinguished. If your discharge is such, then refrain from praying. If
it is of the other type, then have ablution and offer prayer.”
Our Dialogue ( Source : Arab News – Jeddah )