Question:
A woman, two months after her marriage, became pure from menstruation, but then small spots of blood began to appear on her. Should she leave the fast and not perform the prayer? Or what should she do?
Answer:
The complications of the rulings on women’s menstruation and marriage are an ocean without a shore. Among the causes of these complications is the use of contraceptive pills. People are unable to understand the many complications that exist. It is correct that confusion has existed since the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, indeed since the existence of women. But because of the above cause, it has become so widespread that a person stands bewildered in search of solutions, wringing his hands in regret.
However, the general rule in this matter is that when a woman becomes pure and clearly sees purity from menstruation and postnatal bleeding, by purity from menstruation I mean that the woman finds white cotton (placed at the private part) to be clean, and this whiteness is that greyish colour, or yellowish, or spots, or the whiteness of moisture which women recognise after purity, then all of the above fluids are not menstruation, and they do not prevent the performance of prayer, the keeping of fasts, or the husband’s intercourse with his wife, because they are not menstruation. Umm Atiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) said:
كنا لانعد الصفرة والكدرة شيئا
“We did not regard yellowness and greyness as anything.”
It was narrated by al-Bukhari. In Abu Dawud these words are added: بعد الطهرة
(after becoming pure from menstruation) “We women did not regard yellow and greyish discharge as anything.” Its chain is sahih.
On this basis we say that after certain purity, such things found are not harmful to the woman, nor do they prevent her from performing prayer, keeping fasts, or her husband’s intercourse with her. However, it is obligatory upon the woman not to be hasty until she sees purity, because some women, when their blood dries up, hasten to perform the ghusl of purification before seeing purity.
For this reason, the wives of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to send their blood-stained cotton to Umm al-Mu’minin Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), and she would tell them: لا تعجلن حتي ترين القصة البيضاه
“Do not be hasty until you see the white cotton.”
