Sunan ad-Darimi

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them), a woman wrote to him that she had been suffering from istihada (non-menstrual bleeding) for such and such days, and she had heard that Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) had said that such a woman should perform ghusl for every prayer. Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) said: Apart from the statement of Ali, we do not find any concession for you.

Yahya bin Abi Kathir said: Abu Salamah or Ikrimah narrated to me that Umm al-Mu'mineen Sayyidah Zainab (may Allah be pleased with her) used to observe i'tikaf with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and she would have (istihada) bleeding. The Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered her to perform ghusl for every prayer.

It is narrated from Yahya bin Abi Kathir that Sayyiduna Ali and Sayyiduna Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with them) used to say that a woman experiencing istihada (non-menstrual bleeding) will perform ghusl for every prayer time.

Imam Awza'i, may Allah have mercy on him, said: I heard from Ata bin Abi Rabah that (a woman with continuous bleeding) should perform one ghusl for every two prayers, and a separate ghusl for Fajr. Imam Awza'i, may Allah have mercy on him, said: Zuhri and Mak'hool, may Allah have mercy on them both, used to say that she should perform ghusl for every prayer.

It is narrated from Abu Salamah that Umm Habibah said: Wahb mentioned that Umm Habibah bint Jahsh used to experience continuous bleeding, and she asked the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) about this matter, so he instructed: "Perform ghusl (ritual bath) at the time of every prayer and then offer the prayer."

Abu Bishr (Ja'far bin Abi Wahshiyah) said: I heard Sa'id bin Jubayr (may Allah have mercy on him) say: A woman wrote to Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas and Ibn Zubair (may Allah be pleased with them) that I am mustahadah (experiencing non-menstrual bleeding), I do not become pure, and I remind both of you by Allah to give me a fatwa. I inquired about this, and people told me that Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say that such a woman should perform ghusl for every prayer. Abu Bishr said: I read this letter aloud and wrote the reply with my own hand that I do not find anything except the statement of Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) (i.e., what he said is correct). It was said that Kufa is a cold place. He replied: If Allah willed, He could have afflicted them with a greater trial than this.

It is narrated from Mujahid that it was said to Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) that their area is a cold region, so he said: (Then in that case) delay the Zuhr prayer and offer the Asr prayer early, and perform one ghusl (ritual bath), offer the Maghrib prayer late and the Isha prayer early with one ghusl, and perform one ghusl for the Fajr prayer.

It is narrated from Sayyida Zainab bint Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with them) that the daughter of Jahsh was married to Abdur Rahman bin Awf, and she used to have continuous bleeding, and when she would come out of a basin or tub, the blood would come over the water, then she would perform prayer.

Imam Awza'i (may Allah have mercy on him) said: I heard from Imam Zuhri and Yahya bin Abi Kathir (may Allah have mercy on them): they used to say that she (the woman with continuous bleeding) will perform a separate ghusl for every prayer. Imam Awza'i (may Allah have mercy on him) said: And I have also received the same narration from Mak'hool.

Imam Awza'i (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated that 'Ata' (may Allah have mercy on him) informed me that Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to say: For every two prayers there is a ghusl (ritual bath), except that the Fajr prayer will be performed with one ghusl.

A woman asked Imam Ibrahim al-Nakha'i (may Allah have mercy on him), "I have continuous bleeding." He said: "Sprinkle water, it will stop the blood for you."

It is narrated from Imam Hasan, may Allah have mercy on him, regarding the divorced woman whose menstruation is not known (i.e., whether it comes or has stopped), he said: She will wait for a full year; if menstruation occurs, then fine, otherwise after one year she will observe the waiting period ('iddah) for three months. Then if menstruation occurs, then fine; if it does not occur, then her 'iddah is complete.

Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, was asked about the divorce of a woman suffering from istihada (non-menstrual bleeding), so he narrated from Ibn Shihab (al-Zuhri) from Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib, may Allah have mercy on them both, that her waiting period ('iddah) is one year. Imam al-Darimi, may Allah have mercy on him, said: This is the statement of Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him.

Amr bin Dinar said: Jabir bin Zaid was asked about the divorce of such a young girl, who, without reaching old age, has stopped menstruating (what will be her waiting period?). He replied: She will observe a waiting period equal to that of menstruating women. Imam Tawus, may Allah have mercy on him, explained: She will observe a waiting period of three months.

It is narrated from Mu’ammar that Imam Zuhri, may Allah have mercy on him, said: When a man divorces his wife and after one or two menstruations she stops (menstruating), and this cessation is due to old age, then she will complete three months of ‘iddah. And if she is of young age and falls into doubt, then after the doubt arises, she will observe ‘iddah for one year.

It is narrated from Qatadah: Ikrimah (the freed slave of Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both) said: The woman experiencing istihada (irregular bleeding) and the woman whose menstruation is not regular—sometimes she menstruates once a month, sometimes twice—their waiting period (‘iddah) will be three months (i.e., the waiting period after divorce).

It is narrated from Hisham, Hammad said: She will observe the waiting period of three quro’ (i.e., three menstrual cycles).

Saeed bin Al-Musayyib (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The waiting period (‘iddah) of a woman with continuous bleeding (mustahadah) is one year.

Imam Hasan, may Allah have mercy on him, said: A woman experiencing istihada will observe the waiting period according to the days of her menstruation; that is, if she is divorced, her waiting period is three periods (qur’).

Imam Zuhri, may Allah have mercy on him, said: She will observe the waiting period (‘iddah) according to “qur’” (i.e., by counting menstruation or purity). Imam Darimi, may Allah have mercy on him, said: The people of Hijaz interpret “qur’” as the state of purity, and the people of Iraq interpret it as the state (and duration) of menstruation. Imam Darimi, may Allah have mercy on him, said: And in my view, it is menstruation.

Imam Hasan, may Allah have mercy on him, said: The woman experiencing irregular bleeding (mustahadah) will observe the waiting period (‘iddah) according to the calculation of her menstruation.

It is narrated from Imam Awza'i, may Allah have mercy on him, that I asked (Ibn Shihab) Zuhri, may Allah have mercy on him, about a man who divorced his young wife; she used to menstruate but at the time of divorce her menstruation stopped and she did not see any blood. So what will be her waiting period ('iddah)? He replied: Three months.

Imam Awza'i (may Allah have mercy on him) said: And I also asked Imam Zuhri (may Allah have mercy on him) that a man divorced his wife, she experienced menstruation twice and then it stopped, so how many days will she observe 'iddah? He replied: Her 'iddah will be one year.

It was also said: I asked Imam Zuhri, may Allah have mercy on him, about this: A man divorced his wife who used to menstruate, and she waited for three months (i.e., did not menstruate), then she menstruated once, then (after coming once) her menstruation stopped and she sat for seven or eight months (without menstruation), then she menstruated a second time. The first time it came quickly, the second time it came after a long delay. So how will she complete her waiting period (‘iddah)? He said: If her menstruation comes irregularly at different times, then her waiting period will be one year.

Imam Awza'i, may Allah have mercy on him, said: If divorce takes place and menstruation occurs once a year, then what will be the duration of the waiting period ('iddah)? He replied: If she used to have menstruation and purity at their appointed times, then in our opinion, she will observe the waiting period of menstruation.

It is narrated from Imam Awza'i, may Allah have mercy on him: I asked Imam Zuhri, may Allah have mercy on him: If a man buys a minor slave girl, who cannot become pregnant like her peers, then what will be the period of her 'Istibra' (waiting period for womb's clearance)? He replied: Three months.

Yahya bin Abi Kathir said: The period will be forty-five days.

Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to say regarding a woman with continuous bleeding that she should perform ghusl for every prayer, then offer the prayer.

Hammad said: If a woman experiencing istihada (non-menstrual bleeding) does not pray for several months due to ignorance, then she must make up all those missed prayers. It was asked: How will she make them up? He said: If she has the strength, she should make up all the missed prayers in a single day. Imam Darimi, may Allah have mercy on him, was asked: Do you also say this? He replied: «أي والله» (Yes, by Allah, I also say this).