ABLUTION SECTION · 110 – A woman leaves prayer when she has menstrual bleeding.
I heard a woman ask Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) about a woman who experiences continuous bleeding, disrupting the regularity of her menstrual cycle.
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said to me: “She should wait until she sees her menstruation as it normally comes each month. Then, when her menstrual period arrives, she may either abandon prayer during those days or wash herself, cover herself with a cloth, and perform her prayer.”
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked for legal opinion regarding Umm Habiba, the daughter of Jahsh, who had suffered from prolonged bleeding for seven years while she was married to Abdurrahman bin Auf. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "It is a vein; it is not menstruation. Perform ablution and pray."
Awza'i narrated in this honorable hadith that Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) related that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) ordered her: “When you see your menstrual flow, leave prayer. Once it ceases, perform ablution and pray.” Abu Dawud said: "This statement was narrated by Zuhri, Amr bin Harith, Layth, Yunus ibn Abi Zayd, Ma'mar, Ibrahim bin Sa'd, Sulaiman bin Kais, Ibn Ishaq, Sufyan ibn Uyayna, and they did not mention this wording."
Abu Dawud said: “This is the wording that Hisham bin Urwa narrated from his father, who narrated it from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her)."
Abu Dawud said: "As mentioned above, Ibn Uyayna added to that narration: 'He ordered her [Umm Habiba bint-i Jahsh] to leave prayer during her days of menstrual flow.' This addition by Ibn Uyayna is an error. There is a meaning similar to what Awza'i added in his narration from Zuhri, as narrated by Muhammad bin Amr."
Fatima bint Hubaysh (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated:
She was afflicted by excessive bleeding. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said: “The menstrual blood is black, it is apparent. When that black blood comes, you do not pray. Once it ceases, you perform ablution and pray. For it is a vein [malady].”
Regarding Fatima being afflicted with istihaza bleeding, she mentioned the meaning of the preceding hadith.
Abu Dawud transmitted from Anas, Ibn Sirin, from Ibn Abbas concerning istihaza: She sits out her prayers during her menstrual days.
Hammad bin Salama transmitted from Yahya bin Said, who transmitted from Sa’id bin Musayyab in this manner.
Abu Dawud transmitted from Yunus, from Hasan: “If the coming of the menstrual blood is prolonged, then it persists for one and two days, then she is istihaza.” (She is experiencing excessive bleeding.)
Taim said: I reduced the days until they reached two days. Whatever exceeds her menstruation (the two days) is considered (excessive bleeding) from the woman’s menstruation.
It was asked of Ibn Sirin about this: “Women know it better.”
Abu Dawud said: Regarding a woman experiencing istihaza, Ibn Sirin transmitted from Ibn Abbas: "When a woman sees blood coming from the depths of her womb like a sea, abundant in quantity, she does not pray. If she sees any cleanness, even for an hour, she performs ablution and prays."
Makhul said: Menstruation is not hidden from women. The menstrual blood is black and thick. When that blackness disappears and yellowness and thinness come, then it is istihaza. She should perform ablution and pray.
It is narrated from Hamna bint Jahsh, may Allah be pleased with her, that she said:
“I am a woman who experiences severe bleeding. When I came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, seeking information and a legal opinion regarding this matter, I found him at the home of my niece Zaynab, the daughter of my sister Jahsh. ‘O Messenger of Allah,’ I said, ‘I am a woman who experiences severe and continuous bleeding. What is your judgment concerning me? It prevents me from prayer and fasting.’
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “I advise you to use cotton, for it stops the blood.” I replied: "It comes in abundance; it cannot be stopped with cotton." The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Hold a cloth.” I replied: “The cloth does not stop it, because it flows profusely.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “I will advise you of two things; if you act on one, you will not need the other. And if you have the strength for both, then you know. This [bleeding] is a strike from the striking of Satan. Allah knows best, but you may experience bleeding or menstruation for six or seven days. Then bathe and purify yourself, and pray the prayer and fast the fast for twenty-three or twenty-four days; this will suffice you. Act in this manner each month as women menstruate and cleanse themselves, performing what they do during their periods of menstruation and purification. [Secondly:] If you have the strength, delay the midday prayer until late, hasten the afternoon prayer to its early time, and bathe for both. Pray the midday and afternoon prayers together. Delay the evening prayer until its late time, hasten the night prayer to its early time, and bathe for both. Pray the evening and night prayers together, and bathe for the morning prayer. If you have the strength, fast as well. Act in this way, because I believe that these two options are the best of the choices.”
Abu Dawud said: Amr bin Sabit narrated from Ibn Aqeel, saying: Hamna said (that is, she said): “This was more suitable to me than the two tasks.” Ram ibn Aqeel considers this statement to be the statement of Hamna, not of the Messenger of Allah.