Praise be to Allah,
Narrated ‘Aa’ishah (R.A): Faatimah bint Abee Hubaish (R.A) asked the Prophet (PBUH),
“I got persistent bleeding (in between the periods) and do not become clean. Shall I give up my Salaat?” He (PBUH) replied, “No, it is from a blood vessel. Give up the Salaat only for the days on which you usually get the menses and take a bath and offer your prayers.”[i]
In another narration: Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) replied,
“No, because it is from a blood vessel and not the menses. So, when the real menses begins give up you Salaat and when it (the period) has finished wash the blood off your body (take a bath) and offer you prayers.”[ii]
Important Points Derived from the Hadeeth:
- This distinction between the bleeding of al-Istihaadah (prolonged bleeding after/other than the menses) and the bleeding of al-Haid (the monthly menstrual cycle bleeding). The blood of al-Istihaadah (prolonged bleeding) is blood in general, while the blood of al-Haid (menses) is that which has a specific time period.
- The blood of al-Istihaadah (prolonged abnormal bleeding) does not prevent the woman from performing prayers or other acts of worship (which require a state of purification).
- The blood of al-Haid (menses) prevents the woman from performing prayers, but she does not have to make up for the missed prayers. Ibn Daqeeq al-Eid mentioned that this is something agreed upon by the consensus of the scholars of the earlier and later times, except for the Khawaarij.
- That the woman suffering from al-Istihaadah (prolonged bleeding) who knows the duration of her normal menses should keep account of the number of days. Then she should perform a Ghusl when the duration of her normal menses is finished. After that, when she is clean from the menses, she should perform her regular acts of worship that are avoided by the woman in menses.
- That the blood of menses is najis (an impurity) which must be removed by washing.
- It is not obligatory for the woman suffering from al-Istihaadah to repeat the Ghusl at every prayer time.
- Ibn Daqeeq al-Eid mentioned that the words: “wash the blood” from yourself and then pray, may be misunderstood on the surface since there is no mention of performing the Ghusl, while it is a necessity to perform the Ghusl once the days of menses are completed. The correct answer here is that it is understood in this narration – even though it does not mention the Ghusl – due to its mention in the other authentic narrations which contain the words: “and when it has finished, take a bath and start praying.”
- The excellence of the prophet (PBUH) method of teaching whereby he mentions the rulings along with the clarification of its wisdom so that the believer can increase in assurance and know the loftiness of the shari’ah.
Allah Knows Best.
Copied from Sources:
Arousing the Intellects with the Explanation of Umdatul Ahkaam. The Book Of At-Taharaah by Allama Sheikh Salih Ibn Uthaymeen (May Allah have mercy on him). page 106
Tayseer al-Allaam Sharh Umdatul-Ahkaam by Shaykh Abdullah ibn Abdur – Rahmaan Aal Bassaam. Page 81
[i] Saheeh Bukhaari, Volume 1, Book 6, Hadeeth Number 325, p. 222
[ii] Saheeh Bukhaari, Volume 1, Book 6, Hadeeth Number 306, p. 212; Saheeh Muslim, Volume 1, Book 3, Hadeeth Number 753, p. 446