General Rulings of Menstruation (Hayd)
- Apr 16
- 9 min read
This article is going to highlight the basic rulings of menses that every woman should know. Sign up to our newsletter on the bottom of the website to receive updates with future blogs.
It is common that there are three types of menses among women:
1) Menstrual Period,
2) Istihadah: bleeding from the womb between women periods.
3) Nifass (post-delivery).
Changes In The State Of Menses
First: Increase or decrease, e.g. a period that normally lasts for six days continues for one more day or a period that normally stays for seven days ends on the sixth day.
Second: Advancement or Delay, e.g. a woman having her "normal" period at the end of each month finds herself menstruating at the beginning of the month or the opposite. Scholars did differ about the religious decree regarding these two situations. The correct position is that whenever she sees the blood then she is menstruating and whenever she becomes clean then she is in the state of purity regardless of whether there was an increase, decrease, advancement or delay in her period.
Third: yellowish discharge or Kudrah: looking between yellowish and blackish discharge. If this occurs during the Hayd period or immediately after it and prior to the state of Tahara, then it is to be considered as Hayd with all the rulings of Hayd being applicable. If these discharges occur after the state of Tahara then it is not Hayd in line of the saying of Umm 'Atiyya; "we never considered yellowish discharge (after cleanliness as a thing of importance (as menses)". The same was reported by Al-Bukhari (Sahih Al-Bukhari V. 1, P.194 # 323.)
Fourth: discontinuity in menstruation such that blood flows on one day and it stops the next day. There are two circumstances associated with this type:
Discontinuity occurs all the time. In this case this blood is considered a blood of Istihadah and all rulings of Istihadah are applicable.
Discontinuity occurs only sometimes and there is a period of cleanliness. Scholars differed regarding this period of cleanliness.
According to Imam Ash-Shaafi'i, Ibn Taymiyyah, and Imam Abu Hanifa's school of thought this associated period is part of Hayd because the Qassah Al- Bayedaa' is not seen and if it were to be considered as "Tahara" then there will
be difficulty and hardship upon women.
On the other hand, the well known opinion of the Hanbali School of thought is that blood flow is Hayd and cleanliness is "Tahara" except when the combined times of Hayd and "cleanliness" exceeds the "longest period of Hayd" which, according to this school is fifteen days. Blood flow beyond this "upper limit" is considered Istihadah."
The author of Al-Mughnee (a great reference book compiling the Hanbali Fiqh) said: "If the blood stops for less than one day the state cannot be considered as "Tahara" unless she sees a clear evidence, for example, the flow stops at the end of her period or she sees the Qassah Al- Bayedaa'. Mughnee V. 1, P. 355.
Fifth: dryness in the blood: A woman sees some wet discharge. If this occurs during Hayd or linked to it, prior to Tahara, then it is menstruation (Hayd). If it occurs after Tahara then it is not Hayd.
Istihadah
Istihadah is the vaginal bleeding of a woman such that it may not stop or it may stop but for a short period of time (a day or two in each month).
1) Bleeding that does not stop
2) Bleeding that stops for a short period of time.
Several States of Istihadah
The woman has a known period of normal cycles of menses prior to Istihadah. The woman in this case refers to her previously known period of menses and during this period she applies all the rules regarding Salat, Fasting etc. Bleeding in days other than this reference period is considered as Istihadah with all associated rules being applicable.
The woman does not have a known period of normal cycles of menses prior to Istihadah. To be able to distinguish between her blood from normal menses and her Istihadah blood, she should watch for some characteristics of these two types of blood. Hayd blood may be characterized by thickness, darkness or certain distinct odor.
The woman does not have a known period of Hayd and lacks the distinctive characteristics mentioned above. Blood flow is continuous carrying the same quality or flowing with abnormal qualities that make it hard to distinguish the Hayd bleeding from that of the Istihadah bleeding. In this case, women encountering this prolonged and undetermined type of flow should consider their Hayd period to be the period encountered by most women: 6-7 days of Hayd flow per month, starting from the time she sees the flowing blood. Other than this period, the blood flowing should be considered as Istihadah.
Laws About Menses
All kinds of Salat, obligatory or Sunnah, are prohibited for women in their menstruation. It is not obligatory on a woman to perform Salat unless she could get one complete Raka' within the prescribed time of Salat. To illustrate this
consider the following two examples:
A woman had her menses right after sunset. However, she was clean for a period of time sufficient for her to get one Raka' from the Maghrib (Sunset) prayer. Once she is completely clean, she must make up for her Maghrib prayer.
The menses of a woman stopped before sunrise and within the time sufficient for her to perform one Raka' from Salat Al-Fajr (Dawn). Once she completely cleans herself, then she must make up for Salat Al-Fajr.
In both examples, if the time is not enough for her to get one Raka', then it is not mandatory upon her to perform Salat because the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
"Whoever could get one Raka' of a prayer (in its proper time) he has got the prayer" Sahih Al-Bukhari, V.1, P. 322, Hadith # 554.
This Hadith implies that whoever could not get one Rak'a of a prayer in its proper time, then he has not got the prayer.
The reciting of the Qur'an by a menstruating woman either via direct looking or silently (in her heart) without the actual uttering by the tongue is permissible. The majority of the scholars are with the opinion that it is not prohibited for her to utter the Qur'anic recitation.
Imam Bukhari
Ibn Jareer AtTabaree
Ibn Al-Munthir
Imam Malik
Imam Ash-Shaafi'i (in one of his earlier sayings) are with the opinion that it is permissible for her to recite the Ayah (verse in the Qur'an).
Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah said: "Basically, there is no Sunnah to prevent her from reciting Qur'an. The "hadith" that: "A menstruating woman and the one who is in state of Jannabah should not recite anything of the Qur'an", is a weak hadith as agreed upon by the knowledgeable scholars of Hadith. In fact women at the time of the Prophet (ﷺ) used to have their monthly cycles of menses.
Fasting
It is unlawful for a mensturating woman to perform all types of fasting: obligatory or optional.
It is, however, obligatory to make up for the missed obligatory days of fasting as explained by
'Aisha رضي الله عنها : "We passed through this (period of menstruation), and we were ordered to complete (i.e., compensate) the fasts but we were not ordered to complete the prayers" (agreed upon Hadeeth) Sahih Muslim, V.1, P. 191.
If the woman encounters menses while fasting then her fasting is negated even if her blood flow occurs a moment before sunset. If this day is one of the prescribed days of fasting then she must make up for this day once she becomes clean.
Tawaaf
It is prohibited for the mensturating woman to perform Tawaaf (obligatory or non obligatory) because of the saying of the Prophet (ﷺ) to 'Aisha when she had her period during Hajj:
"Do all that the Pilgrim is supposed to do except that you don't perform Tawaaf around the Ka'ba till you are clean (from your Haid).” ibid, footnote # 9.
It is not unlawful for her to perform the rest of the rites of Hajj. So, if a woman makes Tawaaf while she is clean and she had her menstruation right after she completes her Tawaaf or during her Sa'i, then she is relieved.
If a woman completes the rites of Hajj and Umra and she gets her menses before she departs to her home (country or city), and if this is still continuous at the time of her actual departure, then she can leave without performing the Farewell Tawaaf. This is in accordance with the Hadeeth narrated by Ibn Abbass (رَحِمَهُ ٱللَّٰهُ):
"The people were ordered to perform the Tawaff-al-Wada' (Farewell) as the last thing before leaving (Mecca) except the menstruating women who were excused." Agreed upon Hadith: Sahih Al-Bukhari V.2, P. 469. Hadith # 810.
Intercourse
ويسألونك عن المحيض قُل هُوَ أذًى فاعتَزِلُوا النِّساءَ في المَحيض ولا تقربوهُنَّ حتى يطْهُرن } (البقرة، 222)
"They ask you concerning menstruation. Say: that is an Adha (a harmful thing for a husband to have a sexual intercourse with his wife while she is having her menses), therefore keep away from women during menses and go not unto them till they have been purified (from menses and have taken a bath)." (Qur'an 2: 222).
Menses here refers to the period of menstruation and the private part of the woman is the prohibited place.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Do everything except sexual intercourse." Sahih Muslim V 1. P.175, Hadith # 592.
In order to break the intensity of sexual desire, it is permissible to kiss, hug and fondle a menstruating woman in places other than her private parts. It is important, however, that the husband does not approach the area between the knees and the navel without laying a cover sheet as 'Aisha رضي الله عنها explained:
"He ﷺ used to order me to put an Izar (dress worn below the waist) and used to fondle me (during her menses)" Sahih Al-Bukhari: V. 1, P.180, Hadith # 298.
Divorce
It is prohibited to divorce the wife during her menstruation. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى ) says:
"When you divorce women, divorce them at their Idda (prescribed periods)" (Qur'an 65: 1)
Meaning that at the time of divorce they should be in conditions that, will allow the determination of their coming Idda.
There are three provisions that allow divorce during menses. These are:
Divorce is made before he is about to have sexual seclusion with her or prior to actually having sexual intercourse with her, because under these circumstances she has no established Idda and her divorce is not in dispute with the saying of Allah سبحانه وتعالى in Qur'an 65: 1
If menses occurs during pregnancy, because as explained earlier, her Idda is not related to her menses but her pregnancy.
If divorce is made in return for something (Al-Khul'). For example, if there are continuous strong dispute and ill-treatment between a husband and his wife, then the husband can accept something in return for the divorce of his wife. The evidence is in the Hadeeth narrated by
Ibn Abbass (رَحِمَهُ ٱللَّٰهُ) in which the wife of Thabit Bin Qais bin Shamass came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: "O Messenger of Allah! I don't blame Thabit for defects in his character or his religion, but I , being a Muslim, dislike to behave in an un-Islamic manner (If I remain with him)". On that the Prophet (ﷺ) said to her: "will you give back the garden which your husband has given you (as Mahr)?" She said: "Yes". Then the Prophet ﷺ said to Thabit: "O, Thabit, accept your garden, and divorce her once" Sahih Al-Bukhari , V. 7, P.150, Hadith # 197.
Ghusl
It is obligatory upon a menstruating woman to take a bath at the end of her menses. This is in accordance with the saying of the Prophet (ﷺ) to Fatimah (the daughter of Abi Hubaish):
"Give up the prayer when your menses begins, and after it finishes, wash the blood off your body (by having a full shower), and start praying" Sahih Al-Bukhari, V.1, P. 196. Hadith # 327.
The least to do while taking a bath is to wash off all of the body including the scalp of the head. The best way of bathing is the way described by the Prophet (ﷺ) when Asma', the daughter of Shakl, inquired about Ghusl. He (ﷺ) said:
"Everyone amongst you should use water (mixed with the leaves of) the lote-tree and cleanse herself well, and then pour water on her head and rub it vigorously till it reaches the roots of the hair. Then she should pour water on it. Afterwards she should take a piece of cotton smeared with musk and cleanse herself with the help of that? Upon this he (the Messenger of Allah) observed: Praise be to Allah, she should cleanse herself. 'Aisha said (in a subdued tone) that she should apply it to the trace of blood." Sahih Muslim, V.1, P.188, Hadith # 649.
It is not obligatory upon the menstruating woman to undo her hair once she is ready to do Ghusl unless her hair is closely plaited to the degree that it will prevent water from reaching under the hair.
Umm Salamah (رضي الله عنها) asked the Prophet ﷺ: "I am a woman who has closely plaited hair on my head; should I undo it for taking a bath, because of sexual intercourse (or due to Haid as in one narration)? He (ﷺ) said: and then pour water over yourself, and you shall be purified." Sahih Muslim, V.1, P187, Hadith # 643.
References:
NATURAL BLOOD OF WOMEN By Shaykh Muhammad bin Salih Al-Uthaymeen. Second Edition.
