❖ Question:
How should a woman perform her prayers (Salah) and fasts (Sawm) during Istihādah (non-menstrual bleeding)?
❖ Answer:
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
When a woman experiences Istihādah — i.e., bleeding that is not menstrual (ḥayḍ) but due to illness or other medical reasons — her obligations regarding prayer and fasting are as follows:
❖ Difference Between Hayd and Istihādah
A woman must refer to her regular menstrual habit to distinguish between menstrual and irregular bleeding.Example:
If a woman’s habitual menstruation is six days at the beginning of every month,
→ Then she must consider those six days as her ḥayḍ,
→ And treat the rest of the days as Istihādah.
During the habitual menstruation (ḥayḍ) days:
✘ She must not pray
✘ She must not fast
After completing those days:
She must perform Ghusl (ritual bath) Then begin praying and fasting, treating any remaining bleeding as Istihādah❖ Method of Performing Salah During Istihādah
A woman in the state of Istihādah is ritually pure and considered like any other healthy woman, but due to continuous bleeding, she must follow the specific guidelines:
➊ Maintaining Cleanliness:
✿ She should thoroughly wash her private area before performing each Salah.
➋ Using a Pad or Cloth:
✿ After washing, she should use a cloth, cotton, or sanitary pad to prevent the blood from spreading.
➌ Timing of Wudu:
✿ She should perform Wudu only after the entry of the time for each obligatory prayer.
✘ Wudu done before the prayer time begins is not valid in this case.
➍ Praying After Wudu:
✿ Once she has performed Wudu and secured the area with a cloth or pad, she may:
Perform the obligatory prayer Offer optional (nafl) prayers Recite Qur’an Perform TawafAll of this is allowed with the same Wudu, as long as the time for that prayer remains and she does not break her Wudu in any other way.
❖ Permission to Combine Prayers
If a woman finds it difficult to perform Wudu and clean herself repeatedly during each prayer time due to continuous bleeding, then she is permitted to combine two prayers:
✔ Dhuhr and ‘Asr together
✔ Maghrib and ‘Isha together
This means she will only need to purify herself and perform Wudu three times a day:
➊ Once for Fajr
➋ Once for Dhuhr and ‘Asr combined
➌ Once for Maghrib and ‘Isha combined
Note:This concession is based on hardship, and is part of the ease granted by the Shari‘ah.
Summary of the Ruling
➤ During Istihādah, a woman is not excused from prayer and fasting.
➤ She must:
- Maintain cleanliness
- Use a pad or cloth
- Perform Wudu after the prayer time starts
- Then offer her prayers as usual
➤ She may also fast in this state, as she is ritually pure despite the bleeding.
➤ In case of hardship, she may combine prayers to reduce the number of times she must clean and perform Wudu.
ھٰذَا مَا عِندِی وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَاب
This is what I hold to be correct. And Allah knows best what is right.
