❀ Women’s Specific Issues: Menstruation, Postpartum, and Related Rulings ❀

Specific Issues of Women

Menstrual Period or Haydh is the specific blood that comes to an adult woman during certain days. This blood also serves as nourishment for the child in the mother’s womb. Therefore, a pregnant woman does not experience menstruation. Its discharge guarantees the woman’s health; its blockage or irregularity is harmful and a precursor to many diseases.

Chapter One:

Question (1):

Is menstruation a sign of puberty?
Answer: Islam considers every boy or girl who begins to experience nocturnal emission or grows pubic hair as an adult. For a girl, menstruation is also a sign of puberty.

Question (2):

Can the specific days of menstruation be determined?
Answer: The minimum and maximum duration of menstruation days is not fixed; it depends on nature and habit. Some people mention the minimum duration of menstruation as three days and the maximum as ten days, but nothing is definitively established regarding this.

❀Allama Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
All the narrations in this chain are weak, and there is consensus among the scholars of hadith regarding their weakness.

So it is understood that there is no fixed minimum or maximum limit for a woman’s menstrual days.

Question (3):

How can the menstrual blood be identified?
Answer: If during the specified days, blood appears that is dark, yellowish, dull, or black in color, then it will be counted as menstrual blood.
Women used to send a box with cotton to Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), and if yellowish blood was on it, it was considered menstrual blood. (They would ask if they could pray), and she (may Allah be pleased with her) would say: Do not hurry, wait until you see pure whiteness.

Sayyida Aisha (RA) used to forbid women from deciding at night whether the menstruation has ended or not. The blood (menstruation) can also be yellow or pale in color.

Note… If after the specified days, yellow or pale-colored blood comes, it will not be counted as menstruation.

Question (4):

What if a woman has continuous discharge of fluid?
Answer: If after the end of menstruation a woman has continuous discharge of fluid, she will perform a separate ablution (wudu) for each prayer because this is istihadah (irregular bleeding), the details of which will come later.

Question (5):

Does a pregnant woman experience menstruation?
Answer: A pregnant woman does not experience menstruation.
◈ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (RA) divorced his wife during her menstruation. Sayyiduna Umar (RA) inquired from the Prophet ﷺ about this matter, and he said: “Order them to return (reconcile). Then divorce her either when she is pure or pregnant.”

It is established that a pregnant woman does not menstruate because the Prophet ﷺ equated pregnancy with purity (tahara).

◈The Holy Quran has stated the waiting period (iddah) for a non-pregnant woman as three menstrual cycles, while for a pregnant woman, it is until childbirth (delivery).

If pregnant women also experienced menstruation, then their waiting period would also have been set as three menstrual cycles.

Question (6):

Do elderly women experience menstruation?
Answer: Elderly women do not experience menstruation. If they have bleeding, it will be considered istihadah (non-menstrual bleeding), and they should perform ablution (wudu) for every prayer.

◈When Imam Darimi (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about elderly women, he said: They should perform ablution and pray; if divorced, they should complete a period of three months.

Question (7):

Can menstruation occur two or three times in one month?
Answer: It is possible. (واللہ اعلم)

Question (8):

Can menstrual suppressants be used?
Answer: The use of menstrual suppressants is not appropriate because they have several physical disadvantages, such as:
1. Menstrual suppressants disrupt the menstrual process, making it difficult for a woman to conceive. In our country, 85% of women suffer from this harm.
2. Hormones are affected, leading to various diseases.
3. Masculine traits develop, such as hair growth on the face.
4. Dark spots appear on the face.

These harms are the fate of women who engage in such practices.

Note… If bleeding stops due to menstrual suppressant medication, a woman can perform prayers, fasting, and circumambulation (Tawaf).

Question (9):

Is menstrual blood impure?
Answer: Menstrual (Haydh) blood is impure; if it gets on the body or clothes, it should be washed off.
Sayyida Asma bint Abi Bakr (RA) narrates that a woman came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked: If menstrual blood gets on clothes, what should be done? He said: “Scrape it off, wash it with water, and then you may pray in it.”

Question (10):

Does every liquid have the ability to wash away impurities?
Answer: Allah Almighty has given the ability to remove impurity only to water. The Divine command is:

وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً طَهُورًا

“And We sent down pure water from the sky.”

Question (11):

Can one pray in clothes stained with menstrual blood?
Answer: During menstruation, if the clothes get stained with blood, wash the clothes and then pray. If you are certain that there is no blood on them, you can pray without washing.
Sayyiduna Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan رضي الله عنه asked Umm Habibah رضي الله عنها: Did the Prophet ﷺ pray in the clothes he used to wear? She replied: Yes, when he saw that there was no impurity on them.

Question (12):

What is the ruling on the ghusl (ritual bath) after menstruation and how is it performed?
Answer: It is obligatory to perform ghusl after menstruation.

Method of ghusl

Make the intention for Ghusl. But remember that intention is the resolve of the heart; there is no need to utter words with the tongue.
Sayyida Aisha (RA) narrates that when the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) performed the Ghusl of Janabah, he would first wash both hands, then pour water from the right hand onto the left hand and wash the private parts, then perform ablution (wudu) as for prayer. After that, he would take water and insert his fingers into the roots of his hair until he felt that water had reached the roots properly. Then he would pour water over his head three times with both hands, then pour water over the entire body, and finally wash the feet.

Note … While performing Ghusl, the feet can be washed either during ablution or at the end; both ways are correct.

Question (13):

Does a menstruating woman wash her hair with it open?
Answer: It is sufficient for a menstruating woman to pour water three times over her head without opening her hair; opening the hair is not necessary. Sayyida Umm Salamah (RA) narrates that she said: O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! I am a woman who braids her hair tightly; should I undo them for the ghusl of janabah? He ﷺ said: “No, just pour water three times over your head and pour water over the entire body; that will be sufficient.”

Question (14):

Can a menstruating woman perform tayammum if water is not available?
Answer: Absolutely, if a menstruating woman’s period ends and water is not available, she can perform tayammum.

Question (15):

Can a woman perform tayammum due to illness?
Answer: Yes! If there is a fear of harm from washing with water due to illness, she can perform tayammum.

Question (16):

What is the ruling on the sweat of a menstruating woman?
Answer: The sweat of a menstruating woman is pure; a menstruating woman is not impure.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “A believer is not impure.”

Imam Nafi’ (رضي الله عنه) narrates from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (رضي الله عنه) that when he used to sweat in the state of janabah, he would pray in his clothes.

Question (17):

Can one use the leftover food of a menstruating woman?
Answer: Yes! Eating with a menstruating woman, using her leftover food, and eating the food she has prepared is permissible. Because a believer is not impure. In the era of ignorance, women were isolated during their specific days and all dealings with them were cut off, whereas Islam honored women.

Question (18):

How is intercourse during menstruation?
Answer: Intercourse during menstruation is forbidden. Allah the Exalted says:

فَاعْتَزِلُوا النِّسَاءَ فِي الْمَحِيضِ ۖ وَلَا تَقْرَبُوهُنَّ حَتَّىٰ يَطْهُرْنَ

“Keep away from women during menstruation and do not approach them until they are purified.”

Sayyiduna Anas رضي الله عنه says that when a Jewish woman was menstruating, neither did they eat with her nor live together with her in the house. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Do everything except intercourse.”

Explanation: In this hadith, the word “nikah” is used in the sense of intercourse. Medically, intercourse during menstruation causes infection for both husband and wife. The treatment for this disease involves the use of high potency antibiotics, which have many side effects such as ulcers, intestinal diseases, jaundice, etc.

Allama Ibn Qayyim رحمه الله says: Intercourse during menstruation carries the risk of leprosy.

Question (19):

Is intercourse permissible before performing ghusl after menstruation?
Answer: It is forbidden to have intercourse with a woman until she performs ghusl.

Question (20):

Does divorce take place during the specified days (menstruation)?
Answer: Giving divorce during the specified days is disliked (makruh), but the divorce does take effect.

Question (21):

Will a menstruating woman pray?
Answer: Prayer is a fundamental pillar of Islam; praying during menstruation is not permitted.

Question (22):

Can a menstruating woman go to the mosque?
Answer: It is not permissible for a menstruating woman to enter the mosque. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said that the mosque is not lawful for a menstruating or junub (impure) person.

Question (23):

Can a menstruating woman perform ruqyah (spiritual healing)?
Answer: A menstruating woman can perform ruqyah; Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها used to perform ruqyah for Sayyida Asma رضي الله عنها during her menstruation.

Question (24):

Will a menstruating woman fast?
Answer: A menstruating woman will not fast during menstruation. However, after attaining purity, she will make up the obligatory fasts.

Issues related to Istihadah (prolonged bleeding)

Istihaza is a disease. Allama Ubaidullah Mubarakpuri (RA) states: It is the blood that comes out from the private parts other than menstruation and postpartum bleeding. This blood comes from a vein, which is not inside the uterus but near the opening of the uterus. It is called (Arq-e-Azil).

Question (25):

How to differentiate between menstrual blood and istihadah blood?
Answer: Istihadah blood flows continuously. Shariah has provided three ways to differentiate between menstrual and istihadah blood:
1. If the condition of istihadah occurs after the start of menstruation, the days of menstruation will be considered; blood on days other than the usual menstruation days will be counted as istihadah blood.
2. If istihadah blood flows first and menstrual blood comes later, the difference will be made by color; menstrual blood is dark.

While istihadah blood is reddish.

3. She should ask the women in her family on which days they have menstruation and consider herself menstruating for those days.

This statement is from Ata bin Abi Riah, a Tabi’i.

Question (26):

How should a woman with istihadah attain purity?
Answer: A woman with istihadah should refrain from prayer, fasting, and intercourse during the days of menstruation. However, after the menstruation ends, it is necessary to perform ghusl, and for the remaining days, her rulings are like those of normal women.

Question (27):

Is it necessary for a woman with istihadah to perform wudu for every prayer?
Answer: A woman with istihadah can pray only one prayer with one wudu. She must perform a separate wudu for each prayer. The Prophet ﷺ said to Fatimah bint Hubaysh رضي الله عنها: “Perform wudu separately for every prayer.”

Question (28):

Is intercourse permissible during istihadah?
Answer: Intercourse is permissible during istihadah. There is no evidence forbidding it. Allah the Exalted says:

نِسَاؤُكُمْ حَرْثٌ لَّكُمْ فَأْتُوا حَرْثَكُمْ أَنَّىٰ شِئْتُمْ

“Your wives are a tilth for you; so approach your tilth as you wish.”

Rulings of nifas (postpartum bleeding)

The ruling for postpartum bleeding is the same as that for menstrual bleeding.
Some issues regarding postpartum bleeding:
1. Menstrual blood is impure, and postpartum blood is also impure.
2. A ritual bath (ghusl) is obligatory after menstruation, and it is also obligatory after postpartum bleeding.
3. Sexual intercourse is forbidden during menstruation and also forbidden during postpartum bleeding.

4. Prayer, fasting, and entering the mosque are prohibited during menstruation, and the same ruling applies during postpartum bleeding.
5. Sexual intercourse before taking a bath is not permissible during menstruation, and the same ruling applies to postpartum bleeding.
6. If bleeding continues after forty days, then one should perform prayers and fast because this is a disease, not postpartum bleeding. (واللہ اعلم)
7. If postpartum bleeding does not occur naturally, then she should perform ghusl and pray.
8. If a divorce is given during postpartum bleeding, then the divorce takes effect.

Issues of ‘Iddah

If a woman’s husband dies, or she is divorced, or she obtains khula (divorce initiated by the wife), she must observe a specific period of waiting (‘iddah) in a prescribed manner. During this period, she cannot become engaged or married to another man. This period varies for different women.

‘Iddah of a pregnant woman:

If a pregnant woman’s husband dies or divorces her, her waiting period (iddah) is until the delivery of the child; she remains in iddah until the child is born, and after the birth of the child, the iddah ends, whether a few days or moments have passed. Allah Almighty says:

وَأُولَاتُ الْأَحْمَالِ أَجَلُهُنَّ أَن يَضَعْنَ حَمْلَهُنَّ

“The waiting period of a pregnant woman is until she delivers her child.”

Iddah of a Divorced Woman:

The iddah of a divorced woman is three menstrual cycles. Allah Almighty says:

وَالْمُطَلَّقَاتُ يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنفُسِهِنَّ ثَلَاثَةَ قُرُوءٍ

“Divorced women shall wait for three menstrual periods.”

Note: If a woman does not menstruate, her iddah is three months.

Iddah of a Woman Who Seeks Khula:

If a woman wants to exit the marriage, she can go to court, return the dower (mahr), and have the marriage annulled; this is called khula. Khula is the annulment of marriage, not a divorce. The iddah of a woman who takes khula is one menstrual cycle.

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