Ad-Durur Al-Bahiyah fi Masaa’il Al-Fiqhiyyah (The Crystalline Gems Of Islamic Jurisprudence) by Imam Shawkani

Ad-Durur Al-Bahiyah fi Masaa’il Al-Fiqhiyyah (The Crystalline Gems Of Islamic Jurisprudence) by Imam Shawkani (Kitab Tahara Translated – Ch 9: Fully referenced with the ahadith)

Chapter 9: Menstruation

As for menstruation, there are no clear-cut guidelines for its minimum and maximum duration, whereby sound rules are satisfactorily met.[1] This goes for purity as well. Thus, if a female has a definite period of menstruation, she is to handle acts of worship accordingly.

Otherwise if it is not definite, she is to form judgements about her situation by resorting to comparison (specific pain or colour).[2]

However, menstrual blood is distinguishable in the sense that a female is said to be menstruating only when menstrual blood is observed. If she observes other than the menstrual blood, then she is said to be having the prolonged period of blood flow (usually called Istahaadhah). In the latter case, the female’s situation is similar to a state of purity, and all she has to do is wash off the blood and do ablution[3] for every prayer.

Yet a menstruating female must neither pray nor fast.[4]

She is not to engage in sexual intercourse[5] until she bathes after purity.[6]

She must also make up days for which she missed fasting (during the month of Ramadan).[7]

Postnatal Bleeding

The maximum postnatal bleeding period is forty days.[8] There is no minimum, and she is just like a menstruating female. (Thus, she is prohibited from acts of worship just as if she were menstruating).

 

References: 

[1] Hasan: The Messenger of Allah (SallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said to Hamma bin Jahsh, “You will observe your menses according to the knowledge of Allah for six or seven days: then take a bath.” Reported in Sunan Tirmizi. Graded Hasan by sheikh albani in Irwaa al-Ghaleel no. 88

[2] Sahih: The Messenger of Allah (SallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) told Fatimah bint Hubaish since she had a prolonged flow of blood, “Menstrual blood is a dark recognizable blood, so that if it appears, then avoid prayer and if it is the other (light colored blood) then perform ablution and offer the prayers for that is blood of a vein.” Reported by Sunan Abu Dawud and Sunan Nasa’i. graded Sahih by sheikh albani in Irwaa al-Ghaleel no.204

[3] Sahih: The Messenger of Allah (SallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) told Fatimah bint Hubaish since she had a prolonged flow of blood, “Menstrual blood is a dark recognizable blood, so that if it appears, then avoid prayer and if it is the other (light colored blood) then perform ablution and offer the prayers for that is blood of a vein.” Reported by Sunan Abu Dawud and Sunan Nasa’i. graded Sahih by sheikh albani in Irwaa al-Ghaleel no.204

[4] Sahih: Narrated Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (RadiAllahu ‘anhu): Allah’s Messenger (SallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: “Is it not the case that when a woman menstruates, she neither prays nor fasts?” Reported in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. It is part of a long Hadith.

[5] Qur’an / Sahih: Allah says, “They ask you concerning menstruation. Say: that is an Adha (a harmful thing for a husband to have 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 purified. And when they have purified themselves…..” Surah Baqarah: 222 / Narrated Anas (RadiAllahu ‘anhu) ‘The Jews used not to eat with a woman during her menstruation period, so the Prophet (SallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: “Do everything else apart from sexual intercourse (with your wives)’”. Reported in Sahih Muslim.

[6] Qur’an: Allah says, “And when they have purified themselves, then go in unto them as Allah has ordained for you (go in unto them in any manner as long as it is in their vagina)…” Surah Baqarah: 222

[7] Sahih: Mu`âdhah, the daughter of `Abd Allah al-`Adwiyyah, asked `A’ishah (RadiAllahu ‘anha): “Why do we make up our fasts but not our prayers? `A’ishah (RadiAllahu ‘anha) answered: “When we were beset with menstruation, we were commanded to make up our fasts but not our prayers.” Reported in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.

[8] Hasan: The Prophet’s wife ‘Umm Salamah (RadiAllahu ‘anha) relates: “Back when the Prophet (SallAllaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) was alive, women used to wait out their postnatal bleeding for forty days.” This hadith is found in Sunan Abu Dawud, Sunan al-Tirmizi and Sunan Ibn Majah. The strongest view is that the hadith is a Hasan narration. Imam Al-Nawawi declared it to be a Hasan hadith in al-Khulâsah (1/240) and al-Majmu` (2/525). Among contemporary scholars, sheikh albani declared it to be a Hasan hadith in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel (1/222). Imam al-Shawkani mentions: The various pieces of evidence that shows postnatal bleeding can go on for up to forty days support each other. Together, that body of evidence is strong enough, and it should be followed. Women after childbirth should refrain from prayer for a maximum of forty days unless their bleeding stops before that time. [Nayl al-Awtaar (1/283)]