Ruling if Menstruation Begins After the Prayer Time Has Started
Source: Fatawa Arkan al-Islam
If a woman begins menstruating after the start of a prayer time — for example, if menstruation begins half an hour after ẓuhr time starts — what is the ruling? Is she required to make up that prayer later?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
If the prayer time has already begun and menstruation starts afterward, then when she becomes pure, she must make up the prayer whose time had already started while she was in a state of purity.
This is based on Allah’s statement:
﴿إِنَّ الصَّلوةَ كانَت عَلَى المُؤمِنينَ كِتـبًا مَوقوتًا ﴾
(Sūrat al-Nisāʾ: 103)
“Indeed, the prayer is enjoined on the believers at prescribed times.”
The prayers missed while in a state of menstruation do not need to be made up.
Evidence: The statement of the Prophet ﷺ:
«اَلَيْستَ اِذَا حَاضَتْ لَمْ تُصَلِّ وَلَمْ تَصُمْ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Ḥayḍ, Bāb Tark al-Ḥāʾiḍ al-Ṣawm, ḥadīth 304)
“Is it not the case that when she menstruates, she does not pray and does not fast?”
The scholars are unanimously agreed that prayers missed during menstruation are not to be made up.
If a woman becomes pure during the time of a prayer and there is enough time left for her to pray at least one rakʿah, then she must perform that prayer.
Evidence: The Prophet ﷺ said:
«مَنْ اَدْرَك ركعةَ مِنَ الْعَصْرِ قَبْلَ اَنْ تَغْرُبَ الشَّمْسُ فَقَدْ اَدْرَك العصرَ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Masājid, ḥadīth 608)
“Whoever catches one rakʿah of the ʿAṣr prayer before the sun sets has caught the ʿAṣr prayer.”
➊ If a woman becomes pure during ʿAṣr time and enough time remains for her to pray at least one rakʿah before sunset, she must pray ʿAṣr.
➋ If she becomes pure before sunrise and there is enough time to pray at least one rakʿah, she must pray Fajr.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
Source: Fatawa Arkan al-Islam
❖ Question
If a woman begins menstruating after the start of a prayer time — for example, if menstruation begins half an hour after ẓuhr time starts — what is the ruling? Is she required to make up that prayer later?
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
If the prayer time has already begun and menstruation starts afterward, then when she becomes pure, she must make up the prayer whose time had already started while she was in a state of purity.
This is based on Allah’s statement:
﴿إِنَّ الصَّلوةَ كانَت عَلَى المُؤمِنينَ كِتـبًا مَوقوتًا ﴾
(Sūrat al-Nisāʾ: 103)
“Indeed, the prayer is enjoined on the believers at prescribed times.”
❖ Ruling on Prayers Missed During Menstruation
The prayers missed while in a state of menstruation do not need to be made up.
Evidence: The statement of the Prophet ﷺ:
«اَلَيْستَ اِذَا حَاضَتْ لَمْ تُصَلِّ وَلَمْ تَصُمْ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Ḥayḍ, Bāb Tark al-Ḥāʾiḍ al-Ṣawm, ḥadīth 304)
“Is it not the case that when she menstruates, she does not pray and does not fast?”
The scholars are unanimously agreed that prayers missed during menstruation are not to be made up.
❖ Catching One Rakʿah After Purity
If a woman becomes pure during the time of a prayer and there is enough time left for her to pray at least one rakʿah, then she must perform that prayer.
Evidence: The Prophet ﷺ said:
«مَنْ اَدْرَك ركعةَ مِنَ الْعَصْرِ قَبْلَ اَنْ تَغْرُبَ الشَّمْسُ فَقَدْ اَدْرَك العصرَ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Masājid, ḥadīth 608)
“Whoever catches one rakʿah of the ʿAṣr prayer before the sun sets has caught the ʿAṣr prayer.”
❖ Two Specific Cases
➊ If a woman becomes pure during ʿAṣr time and enough time remains for her to pray at least one rakʿah before sunset, she must pray ʿAṣr.
➋ If she becomes pure before sunrise and there is enough time to pray at least one rakʿah, she must pray Fajr.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
