Doubt About Menstruation During Fasting and the Ruling on Istiḥāḍah
Source: Ahkam wa Masail, Vol. 01, in the light of the Qur’an
❖ Question
A woman experiences menstruation sometimes after a month, sometimes after one and a half or two months. According to her previous cycle, her menstruation was expected to occur during the middle of Ramadan, but it did not begin.
During this time, she had intercourse with her husband at night. Until suḥūr, no discharge or sign appeared, so she kept the fast.
Later, when she went to the washroom for wuḍū, she noticed a blood spot during istinjā. She assumed it might be menstruation, but later it became clear that it was not menstruation but merely a spot, which is most likely termed istiḥāḍah in Sharʿi terminology.
Around 11 a.m., she performed ghusl and continued her fast. The question is: Was her action correct?
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʿAmma Baʿd!
Based on the details of the question, the woman acted correctly by completing her fast. The reasons are as follows:
✿ Women are more aware of their bodily routine and menstrual cycles.
✿ The subsequent days make it clear whether the blood was menstrual or only a spot caused by intercourse or istiḥāḍah.
✿ If it were menstrual blood, it would have continued thereafter.
✿ Its non-continuation proves that it was not menstruation.
والله أعلم بالصواب
