Nasai

371. Commentary: In this narration, Imam Nasa’i rahimahullah has two teachers: Ubaydullah ibn Sa‘id and Ishaq ibn Ibrahim. The meaning of the narration from both is the same, though there is some difference in wording. The words mentioned are those of Ubaydullah ibn Sa‘id, not of Ishaq. For further details, see: Benefits and Issues of Hadith: 284.

Explanation:
It is understood that it is appropriate for a woman to make separate clothes for menstruation (hayd) and separate ones for purity (tuhr), so that it may be convenient for her. This does not fall under extravagance (israf).

Hadith Commentary:
The commentator of Bukhari, Allamah Ibn Battal rahimahullah, writes that if someone objects that this hadith contradicts another narration from Aisha radi Allahu anha, in which she said:
“We had only one garment in which we would also spend the days of menstruation,”
the answer is that Aisha radi Allahu anha described the early days of Islam, when Muslims were experiencing hardship and poverty. However, when the era of conquests arrived and there was an abundance of war booty, there was also expansion in matters of living, and women adopted variety in clothing—one set of clothes for the days of purity and another for use during menstruation.
Umm Salamah radi Allahu anha, in the mentioned hadith, reported about a later time of prosperity.
(Sharh Ibn Battal: 1/449)
The point is that if a woman keeps a specific garment for the days of menstruation, this practice is not objectionable, nor can it be considered extravagance (israf), which is prohibited in the Shariah.
The prohibited extravagance is to adopt variety in clothing without need or merely for pride and boasting.
If there is capacity, then arranging a separate garment for those days is better.
Some scholars have interpreted “menstrual garments” (thiyab al-hayd) as referring to cotton pads and loincloths, i.e., the shirt, trousers, and scarf are a woman’s regular clothing, and if during menstruation she adds pads and a loincloth, it is not objectionable. However, in our view, this is questionable, because it is not correct to consider these strips, pads, and loincloths as garments.
It is more appropriate to call this a far-fetched possibility.
Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlawi rahimahullah writes in the explanation of the chapter headings:
“The inference from this hadith depends on taking ‘menstrual garments’ to mean such clothes as are worn in addition to cotton pads.
The use of cotton pads and strips during menstruation is well-known, and it is possible that this is what is meant by the garment.”
In our view, not only is this possible, but in reality, it is indeed the case that Umm Salamah radi Allahu anha wore a garment other than pads and loincloths, which was specific for the days of menstruation.
This is why the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, upon seeing this garment, said:
“Have you begun menstruating?” These pads and loincloths are not visible such that someone could estimate menstruation by seeing them.
And Allah knows best.

Explanation:
The well-known meaning of nifas is the blood that a woman experiences during childbirth. However, sometimes menstruation (hayd) is also referred to as nifas, and nifas as hayd. There is no harm in expressing these by changing the names in this manner. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) himself has used the word nifas here for menstruation (hayd).

Benefits and Issues:
Relevance between the Chapter and the Hadith:
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah established a chapter stating that postnatal bleeding (nifas) is called menstruation (hayd), but he could not bring such a hadith because, according to his conditions, there was no hadith in which nifas was called hayd. Rather, he presents a hadith in which hayd is called nifas.

Ibn Rushd rahimahullah and others state:
«مراد البخاري ان يثبت ان النفاس هو الاصل فى تسمية الدم الخارج» [فتح الباري، ج 1، ص 520]
“Imam Bukhari rahimahullah is establishing that nifas is, in reality, the name of the blood that is discharged.” (That is why the ruling for both is the same.)

Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah states:
«ان حكم دم النفاس حكم دم الحيض» [فتح الباري ج1ص 520]
“The ruling for the blood of nifas is the same as the ruling for the blood of hayd.”

The author of Al-Mutawari writes:
«ان حكم الحيض و النفاس فى منافاة الصلاة» [المتواري ص81]
“That is, the ruling of hayd applies to the ruling of nifas because both prevent the performance of prayer.”

Shah Waliullah states:
«حاصل ما اراده البخاري رحمه الله ان إطلاق الحيض على النفاس والنفاس على الحيض شائع فيما بين العرب فكان، ماثبت من الاحكام الحيض ثابتاً النفاس ايضاً . . .» [شرح تراجم ابواب البخاري، ص123]
“The conclusion is that Imam Bukhari rahimahullah’s intent is that the term hayd is applied to nifas and the term nifas is applied to hayd. Thus, the rulings that apply to hayd also apply to nifas, and the commentator has not detailed any distinction regarding nifas.” (Because the ruling for both is the same, except for the difference in their duration.)

Badr al-Din Ibn Jama‘ah rahimahullah states:
(In the chapter heading and the hadith) “The juristic benefit is that the ruling of nifas is exactly the same as the ruling of hayd (because both prohibited matters are the same), and ritual bath (ghusl) is obligatory for both, because nifas is the same blood as hayd, and the ruling for both is one and the same.” [مناسبات تراجم البخاري، ص 43-44]

Imam Khattabi rahimahullah also says that the original word hayd is derived from the word nifas, and it is blood. [اعلام الحديث فى شرح صحيح البخاري۔ ج1۔ ص313]

Therefore, the purpose for which Imam Bukhari rahimahullah established this chapter is precisely that nifas is under the ruling of hayd and hayd is under the ruling of nifas, because both prevent the performance of prayer. This is where the relevance between the chapter heading and the hadith lies.

Hadith Authentication (Takhrij):
[170۔ البخاري فى : 6 كتاب الحيض : 22 باب من اتخذ ثياب الحيض سوي ثياب الطهر 298، مسلم 296]

Lexical Explanation:
«خَمِيْلَة»: Four.
«اَنُفِسْت» : Have you begun menstruating?

Understanding the Hadith:
From this and the following ahadith, it is understood that with a menstruating woman (ha’idh), only sexual intercourse is prohibited; otherwise, lying with her, performing ritual bath (ghusl) together, eating and drinking together, and all other matters are permissible and lawful. The Jews had the habit that when a woman among them menstruated, they would neither eat with her nor live with her in the same house. Then Islam came, and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam gave the ruling that you may do everything with women except intercourse and sexual relations. [مسلم : كتاب الحيض 302، أبوداؤد 258، ترمذي 2977، ابن ماجه 644]

Hadith Commentary:
1.
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah does not intend by this chapter heading to provide any linguistic explanation regarding menstruation (hayd) and postnatal bleeding (nifas), because this book is not related to lexicography. Rather, its subject is the derivation and extraction of rulings and laws from the blessed ahadith.
Most likely, Imam Bukhari wishes to indicate that the blood of nifas is in reality the same as the blood of hayd, which had stopped due to the closure of the mouth of the womb as a result of conception. After childbirth, as soon as the mouth of the womb opens, that blood is discharged.
On this basis, the rulings regarding hayd and nifas are almost identical.
After determining this objective, we now examine to what extent the hadith corresponds to the chapter heading. The commentators have expressed their views on this according to their own scholarly inclinations, the details of which are as follows:
Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlawi rahimahullah writes in Sharh Tarajim Bukhari that among the Arabs, the term hayd is commonly applied to nifas and vice versa.
Therefore, according to Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, the rulings that apply to hayd also apply to nifas.
The Lawgiver (shari‘ alayhis salam) did not specify separate rulings for nifas.
2.
Ibn al-Munir states that, apparently, this hadith does not correspond to the chapter heading, because in the hadith, contrary to the heading, hayd is referred to as nifas. However, Imam Bukhari wishes to draw attention to the fact that, in matters such as the prohibition of prayer and the like, the rulings for hayd and nifas are the same.
Therefore, he established the chapter heading by deriving the same ruling for both from the hadith. This was done because the ahadith related to nifas did not meet his conditions.
(al-Mutawari: 79)
3.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has written that Imam Bukhari rahimahullah employed in his chapter heading the well-known rhetorical device of inversion (qalb) from the science of eloquence. The original situation is that someone referred to hayd as nifas, or there is precedence and delay involved.
It is also possible that by (man samma), what is meant is the one who applied the term nifas to hayd.
In all these cases, the correspondence between the hadith and the chapter heading becomes straightforward.
(Fath al-Bari: 1/522)
4.
Muhaddith Ibn Rashid has stated that the blood which exits from the womb is, in reality, called nifas, because nifas, meaning blood, is well-known in the language, and this term is used for it, while referring to it as hayd is an expression with a specific meaning.
The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used the term nifas for it in the general sense.
Whereas the expression of Umm Salamah radi Allahu anha is in the specific sense.
(Fath al-Bari: 1/522)
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah’s objective is that, regarding purification (taharah), the rulings for hayd and nifas are the same.
The differences that the jurists (fuqaha) have mentioned are from other perspectives, which are outside the scope of our current discussion. From this hadith, it is also understood that during the blessed era of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, women used to keep separate clothes for use during menstruation, and separate clothes for normal circumstances.
From this, one can appreciate their refined taste and natural cleanliness.
To make such arrangements in a time when clothing was generally scarce was no small matter, whereas among our women such arrangements are not usually made.
The reason for this is probably that our women do not wish to make themselves conspicuous in this state.
And Allah knows best.

284. Commentary:
➊ The "menstrual clothes" may refer to a loincloth or similar garment. It is possible that she had kept a complete set of clothing separate for menstruation, and this is preferable.
➋ In the state of menstruation, if there is no likelihood of menstrual blood getting on the husband's clothes or body, then it is permissible to lie with one's wife in this state. Kissing and embracing are also permissible; only intercourse is prohibited.