Commentary on the Hadith Concerning the Woman In The State of Istihaadah (irregular bleeding) Is To Do

Praise be to Allah,

 

Narrated `Aisha:

The wife of the Prophet Umm Habiba got bleeding in between the periods for seven years. She asked Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) about it. He ordered her to take a bath (after the termination of actual periods) and added that it was (from) a blood vessel. So she used to take a bath for every prayer.[i]

 

Difference of Opinion of the Scholars

 

The scholars differed concerning the woman experiencing al-Istihaadah whether or not it is obligatory for her to take a Ghusl for every prayer.

 

1. One group held that it is obligatory based upon the ahaadeeth indicating that, which are reported in some of the books of Sunan (like Abu Daawood).

 

2. The Majority of Scholars from the earlier generations including Ali, Ibn Abbaas, and ‘Aa’ishah (R.A), as well as those who came later including the Imaams Abu Haneefah, Maalik, and Ahmad (R.A) held that it is not obligatory.

 

(a) They cited the Basic Principle of al-Baraa‟ ah al-Asliyyah [i.e. the original ruling in anything is the absence of prohibition or the absence of obligation. In other words, everything is allowed –excluding acts of worship – unless there is evidence of its prohibition, and nothing is considered obligatory – in matters of worship – unless there is a proof indicating such]. In this case, the original ruling (al-Baraa‟ ah al-Asliyyah) is that repeating the Ghusl for every prayer should not be considered obligatory in the absence of clear proof supporting such.

 

(b) They responded to the ahaadeeth containing the command to repeat the Ghusl for every prayer saying that none of them are confirmed as authentic.

 

Click here to know the rulings on Istihaada or non-menstrual vaginal Bleeding in Islam

 

(c) They said that Umm Habeebah’s practice of repeating the Ghusl for each prayer was from her own preference and not a command from the Prophet (PBUH) to do so. He merely ordered her to perform Ghusl, as is clearly seen in the confirmed narrations. Ibn Daqeeq al-Eid mentioned that there is no report in either of the two Saheeh (al-Bukhaaree and Muslim) indicating that the Prophet (PBUH) ordered her to perform a Ghusl for every prayer.

 

Important Points Derived from the Hadeeth:

 

1. The obligation of the woman experiencing al-Istihaadah (prolonged bleeding) is to perform a Ghusl upon the completion of the period of her menstrual bleeding.

 

2. Al- Istihaadah can cease and the women can be cured of it.

 

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  108

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 327, p. 222