Rulings on Menstruation for Women Above Fifty Years of Age
Source: Fatawa Arkan al-Islam
One woman is over fifty years old and experiences menstrual bleeding in the normal, recognized pattern. Another woman is also over fifty but does not get normal blood; instead, she has only yellowish or brownish discharge. What are the rulings for both cases?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
❀ She will not pray during her menstrual days.
❀ She will not fast during these days.
❀ She will avoid marital relations (intercourse).
❀ Ghusl will be obligatory after menstruation ends.
❀ Missed fasts must be made up later.
❀ Whenever this discharge occurs, she will follow the rulings of menstruation (no prayer, no fasting).
❀ She will perform ghusl after it stops.
ھٰذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
Source: Fatawa Arkan al-Islam
❖ Question
One woman is over fifty years old and experiences menstrual bleeding in the normal, recognized pattern. Another woman is also over fifty but does not get normal blood; instead, she has only yellowish or brownish discharge. What are the rulings for both cases?
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
✿ For the Woman with Normal Menstrual Blood
- If a woman experiences the well-known, recognizable pattern of menstrual bleeding, then — according to the stronger opinion — this is valid and real menstrual blood.
- There is no maximum age limit for menstruation in Islam.
- Therefore, even at this age, her menstrual blood is valid, and all rulings of menstruation apply:
❀ She will not pray during her menstrual days.
❀ She will not fast during these days.
❀ She will avoid marital relations (intercourse).
❀ Ghusl will be obligatory after menstruation ends.
❀ Missed fasts must be made up later.
✿ For the Woman with Yellow or Brownish Discharge
- If this discharge occurs within her menstrual days, it will be counted as menstrual blood.
- If it appears outside her menstrual period, it is not considered menstruation and its rulings do not apply.
- If, for her, this yellow or brown discharge is what is normally recognized as her menstrual blood, then regardless of whether the days come earlier or later:
❀ Whenever this discharge occurs, she will follow the rulings of menstruation (no prayer, no fasting).
❀ She will perform ghusl after it stops.
✿ Opinions Regarding Menstrual Age Limit
- This ruling is based on the correct opinion that there is no fixed age limit for menstruation.
- Some jurists have held that after the age of fifty, menstruation is not possible, even if the blood is black and follows the normal pattern.
- According to them, prayer and fasting remain obligatory during such bleeding.
- Ghusl after cessation would also not be required.
- However, this view is not correct and not acceptable in light of the stronger evidence.
ھٰذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
