Ruling on Prayer During Irregular Menstruation (Istihadhah)
Source: Fatawa ‘Ilmiyyah (Tawdih al-Ahkam)
❖ Question
What is the Shari‘ah ruling on prayer for a woman experiencing irregular menstruation (istihadhah)?
❖ Answer
Alhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ‘ala Rasulillah, amma ba’d!
Definition
When a woman experiences irregular bleeding beyond her normal menstrual cycle, this is termed istihadhah in Shari‘ah.
What She Should Do
- She should determine how many days she normally menstruated each month before the irregularity.
- She will count only those days as her menstrual days and stop praying during those days.
- After those days end, she should:
- Perform ghusl of menstruation.
- Tie a cloth (pad) to prevent blood from staining the clothes.
- Resume performing prayer.
Method of Prayer During Istihadhah
For each prayer time:
- Wash the private area thoroughly.
- Tie a cloth or pad securely.
- Perform wudu.
- Do this after the prayer time begins, not before.
- Then pray.
For Voluntary (Nafl) Prayers
- The same steps apply for voluntary prayers as for obligatory ones.
Concession in Case of Hardship
- If the process becomes difficult, she may combine prayers:
- Zuhr with ‘Asr, or ‘Asr with Zuhr.
- Maghrib with ‘Isha, or ‘Isha with Maghrib.
- This way she performs the cleansing and wudu once for two prayers,
- and separately for Fajr.
- This reduces the process from five times to three times a day.
ھذا ما عندي واللہ أعلم بالصواب
