Chapter 10 - Menstruation

Chapter 10 Menstruation

118. Narrated 'Aisha Fatima bint Abu Hubaish had a prolonged flow of blood[1] and Allah’s Messenger told her, "The menstruation blood is a dark recognizable blood, so if that comes then avoid prayer. And if it is the other (light colored blood), then perform Wudu (ablution) and offer Salat (prayer) (for that is blood of a vein)."
[Reported by Abu Da'ud and An-Nasa’i. Ibn Hibban and Al-Hakim graded it Sahih (sound). Abu Hatim termed it Munkar (unusual)]
And in the Hadith of Asma bint ‘Umais[2] reported by Abu Da'ud, the Prophet said: "She should sit in a tub, and when she sees yellowish color on the top of the water, she should take a bath once for the Zuhr and Asr prayers, and take another bath for the Maghrib and Isha prayers, and take a bath once for the Fajr prayer, and in between these times she should perform ablution."

[1] Istihada may be either prolonged puerperium or prolonged menstruation period (and is regarded as bleeding between the periods). Period of menstruation, according to some scholars is from one to fifteen days; and according to others, its duration is from three to ten days. Experience confirms the later assertion. Every woman knows her period if bleeding exceeds the normal time then it would be Istihada.

[2] She was the wife of Jafar bin Abu Talib. She had migrated with him to Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and bore him there children, among them was 'Abdullah. Then Abu Bakr As-Siddiq married her after the martyrdom of Jafar at the battle of Mu'ta, and she bore him Muhammad. Ali bin Abu Talib also married her after the death of Abu Bakr and she bore him Yahya 'Umar used to ask her the interpretation of dreams. She died after the death of 'Ali.





119. Narrated Hamna bint Jahsh[3] My menstruation was too much and severe. So I came to the Prophet to ask for his (religious) opinion. He said, "This is a stroke of the devil, so observe your menses for six or seven days, then take a bath and when you see that you are purified and quite clean, pray for twenty-three or twenty-four days, and fast and pray for that will suffice you. And do so every month just as the other women menstruate (and are purified). But if you are strong enough[4] to delay the Zuhr prayer and advance the Asr prayer then take a bath and combine the Zuhr and the Asr prayer; then delay the Maghrib prayer and advance the Isha prayer then take a bath and combine the two prayers, do so; and take a bath at Fajr." Allah's Messenger:saws: said of the two types of actions: "This one appeals more to my liking (i.e. taking a bath for every prayer)".
[Reported by Al-Khamsa except An- Nasa’i, At-Tirmidhi graded it Sahih (sound) and Al-Bukhari graded it Hasan (fair)]

[3] Hamna bint Jahsh is the sister of the 'Mother of the Believers' Zainab bint Jahsh. She was married to Mus'ab bin 'Umair, who was martyred during the battle of Uhud after which she was married by Talha bin 'Ubaidullah.

[4] In this Hadith, Hamna was ordered to take a bath three times a day. One bath for Zuhr and Asr prayers; second for Maghrib and Isha; and third for Fajr. In the preceding Hadith Fatima bint Abu Hubaish was ordered merely to perform ablution before every prayer. It means in case of Istihada taking a bath is not compulsory but performing ablution is obligatory for every prayer. Taking a bath is preferable if weather conditions and health allows, otherwise there is no need to take bath.

120. Narrated 'Aisha Umm Habiba bint Jahsh[5] complained to Allah's Messenger about the blood (which flows beyond the menstruation period). He said, "Keep away (from prayer) the length of time that your menses prevented you, then take a bath (and offer prayers)". And she used to take a bath for every prayer[6].
[Reported by Muslim.]
In a version of Al-Bukhari is: "Perform ablution for every Salat (prayer)". It has been reported by Abu Da’ud and others in another version.

[5] Habiba bint Jahsh was another sister of Zainab bint Jahsh,'the Mother of the Believers' and she was married to 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Auf Muslim narrated that she had a prolonged flow of blood for seven years. She died in 44H.

[6] It was only a precautionary or voluntary act of Umm Habiba to take a bath for every prayer. Authentic decision regarding this issue is to take a post-menstruation Ghusl (bath) and purify oneself. Concerning prolonged bleeding, there is an order to wash the blood and perform ablution for every prayer.


121. Narrated Umm Atiya[7] We considered it nothing (as impure) the muddiness and yellowness (of the fluids) after purification[8] (from menstruation).
[Reported by Al-Bukhari and Abu Da'ud and version is of the latter].

[7] Her name was Nusaiba bint Ka'b or bint Al-Harith Al-Ansariya. She was among the prominent Sahabiya women, and she used to accompany Allah’s Messenger to battles, nursing the sick and treating the injured. She fought during the battle of Uhud like heroes. She witnessed the washing of the body of the daughter of the Prophet , which she perfected and narrated, and a number of Sahaba and Tabi’i Ulama at Basra recorded that from her. Her Hadith is considered to be the basis of washing the dead. She was counted to be among the Sahabiya who settled at Basra.

[8] In the narration of' Aisha , yellow and dusty colored water is considered as menses, but this Hadith states: "We considered it nothing." Apparently both Ahadith appear to be opposing each other, but actually both are correct in their context. If the yellow or dusty color water oozes out in the menstruation period, it will be considered as 'menses'; and if it percolates after the period, it is 'nothing' as the word b 'ad At-Tuhr gives the clue.


122. Narrated Anas The Jews used not to eat with a woman during her menstruation period, so the Prophet said, "Do every thing else apart from sexual intercourse (with your wives)".
[Reported by Muslim.]

123. Narrated 'Aisha Allah's Messenger , used to order me to put on an Izar[9] and then caress[10] me while menstruating.
[Agreed upon]

[9] A cloth worn from the waistline downwards like a skirt.

[10] Those who do not believe in the Ahadith (i.e. deniers of Sunna), create ambiguity and doubt at this point, and make the people suspicious about the Ahadith. They assert that sexual intercourse in menstruation periods is prohibited by the noble Quran but according to this Hadith the Prophet would do it during that period, therefore, Hadith is not true. Literal meaning of Mubasharat is to touch and rub the body with the body, and speaking metaphorically it means coition. In other Ahadith it has been clarified that sexual intercourse is strictly forbidden during menstruation, thus, it is quite a dishonesty to translate the word Mubasharat as sexual intercourse instead of 'fondling' and create the suspicion.



124. Narrated Ibn 'Abbas Allah's Messenger said regarding a husband who has sexual intercourse with his wife during her menstruation period, "He should give out (as atonement) one Dinar or ½ Dinar as alms”
[Reported by Al-Khamsa. Al-Hakim and Ibn Al-Qattan graded it Sahih (sound). And others considered it to be Mawquf (untraceable)][11]

[11] This is a Da'if (weak) Hadith, therefore, most of the religious scholars do not deem it necessary to expiate, although some of the scholars are in favor of this opinion; but first opinion is correct because order is only for encouraging charity.



125. Narrated Abu Sa'id AI-Khudri Allah's Messenger said, "Is it not the case that a woman in her menstruation period neither prays nor fasts?"[12]
[Agreed upon. It is part of a long Hadith]

[12] This is a small portion of a long Hadith. The noble Prophet , while delivering a Khutba (religious talk) to the women, told them that their religion was imperfect. They asked, "How?" In the answer to their question, he spoke these words, which mean that a menstruating women should not pray or fast.


126. Narrated 'Aisha When we came to a place called Sarif, I menstruated and the Prophet told me, "Do what a pilgrim does except that you don't circumambulate round the Ka'ba until you are purified".
[Agreed upon and it is part of a long Hadith.]

127. Narrated Mu'adh He asked the Prophet , “What is lawful for a man regarding his wife when she is menstruating?" and he replied, "What is above the waist wrapper (Izar).”[13]
[Reported by Abu Da'ud and graded it Da'if.]

[13] "Everything above the Izar (dress worn below the waist)" may have two meanings: First, the Izar may be a figurative speech for 'sexual intercourse', in other words, except sexual intercourse everything is permitted. Secondly, it may metaphorically mean the portion of body related to Izar. But this meaning will contradict the other Hadith stating: "Do everything except intercourse·” Therefore, first meaning is preferable.



128. Narrated Umm Salama During the time of the Prophet the women having bleeding after delivery (postnatal or puerperal blood) would refrain (from prayer) for forty days.[14]
[Reported by Al-Khamsa except An-Nasa’i, and the version is that of Abu Da’ud].
And in another version of Abu Da’ud: "The Prophet did not command her to repeat the prayers (abandoned during the period of bleeding)." And Al-Hakim graded it Sahih (sound).

[14] It means the maximum period of puerperal blood is forty days and minimum time for it is not fixed. If it continues more than forty days, it will be regarded as Istihada (bleeding between periods), which is not a hindrance for prayer, fasting and having sexual intercourse. Every command of the puerperium is identical to that of menstruation.

Source: A b d u r r a h m a n.org