Blood which flows out of the vagina every month is called haidh
(menstruation or monthly periods).
The minimum period of haidh is three days and three nights and the
maximum period is ten days and ten nights. Blood which flows for less than three days and
three nights is not haidh but is referred to as istihaada (flowing of blood out of the
normal period). This happens on account of some sickness. If blood flows for more than ten
days and ten nights, then all those days beyond ten days will be regarded as istihaada.
If blood flows for three days and not three nights,it will not be
haidh but istihaada. For example, if blood started to flow on Friday morning and stopped
flowing on Sunday after sunset, then this is not haidh but istihaada. If it flows slightly
less than three days and three nights, it will not be haidh. For example, if blood started
to flow at sunrise on Friday morning and stopped flowing slightly before sunrise on Monday
morning, then it is not haidh but istihaada.
Whatever colour flows in the period of haidh, such as red, yellow,
green, brown, will all be regarded as haidh until the pad is completely white in colour.
When it is white and remains as it was when it was placed, the woman will be cleansed from
her haidh.
A woman does not get haidh before the age of nine and after the age
of fifty five. Therefore, if blood flows from a girl who is under nine years, it will not
be haidh but istihaada. If blood flows after the age of fifty five, it will only be
regarded as haidh if it is extremely red or black. If it is yellow, green or brown, it is
not haidh but istihaada. However, if yellow, green or brown blood used to flow from this
woman before she turned fifty five, then after the age of fifty five, these colours will
also be regarded as haidh. But if it happens contrary to her habit, it will not be haidh
but istihaada.
A woman used to bleed for three or four days every month. Thereafter,
in a particular month she bled for more than her normal period but not more than ten days.
All the days that she bled will be haidh. But if she bled for more than ten days, then all
the days which are more than her normal period will be regarded as istihaada. For example,
a woman always had a habit of bleeding for three days. However, in a particular month she
bled for nine days or ten days and ten nights. All these days will be regarded as haidh.
But if she bled for even a moment more than ten days and ten nights, then her first three
days are haidh and the balance of the days will be regarded as istihaada. It will be wajib
for her to make qada of her salaat for the balance of these days.
A certain woman has no fixed period. At times she bleeds for four
days, at times for seven days and at times for ten days. All this will be regarded as
haidh. If at a certain time she bleeds for more than ten days and ten nights, check the
number of days she bled for the previous month. That same number will be regarded as haidh
(for this month) and the balance will be istihaada.
A certain woman always bled for four days. Then one month she bled
for five days. The following month she bled for fifteen days. Out of these fifteen days,
five days will be haidh and the balance ten days will be istihaada. Her first normal habit
will not be considered and it will be regarded that her first habit has changed and that
now her habit is five days.
A certain woman bled for more than ten days and she completely forgot
her previous habit - that is, for how many days she bled the previous month. Her problem
is a very intricate one and is extremely difficult to explain. In addition to this, such a
problem is very rare. We are therefore not going to explain the ruling in regard to her
problem. When the need arises, she should consult a learned aalim and abstain from
asking anyone who is not sure of himself.
A girl sees blood for the first time. If she bleeds for ten days or
less, it will all be haidh. If she bleeds for more than ten days, the ten days will be
haidh and whatever extra days she bleeds will be regarded as istihaada.
A girl sees blood for the first time and she continues bleeding for
several months. From the day that she started to bleed till ten days and ten nights will
be regarded as haidh. Thereafter, the next twenty days will be istihaada. In this way, she
will continue regarding ten days as haidh and twenty days as istihaada.
The minimum period of purity between two haidh periods is fifteen
days. There is no maximum period. If, for some reason, she stops bleeding, then no matter
how many months blood does not flow, she will remain pure.
If a woman bleeds for three days and three nights and thereafter
remains pure for fifteen days and again bleeds for three days and three nights, then the
former and latter three days and three nights will be the periods of haidh and the fifteen
days will be the days of purity.
If she bleeds for one or two days and then remained pure for fifteen
days, and thereafter bled for one or two days again, then the fifteen days will be the
period of purity and the former and latter one or two days will not be haidh but
istihaada.
If she bled for one or several days and then remained pure for less
than fifteen days, then these will not be considered. Instead, the first day till the last
day will be regarded as if she bled continuously. Whatever her normal period of bleeding
may have been will be regarded as haidh and all the balance of the days will be regarded
as istihaada. An example of this is as follows: a woman had the habit of bleeding on the
first, second and third day of every month. In a certain month it happened that she bled
on the first day and thereafter remained pure for fourteen days. Thereafter she bled for
another day. It will be regarded as if she bled continuously for sixteen days. Out of
these sixteen days, the first three days will be of haidh and the thirteen days will be
regarded as istihaada.
If she had a habit of bleeding on the fourth, fifth and sixth of every month, then these
dates will be the days of haidh and the first three days and the last ten days will be of
istihaada. If she had no habit and this was the first time that she bled, then the first
ten days will be of haidh and the last six days of istihaada.
Whatever blood that flows while a woman is pregnant is not the blood
of haidh but of istihaada - irrespective of how many days she bleeds.
Whatever blood that comes out prior to the delivery of the child is
also the blood of istihaada. In fact, as long as more than half the child does not come
out, until then whatever blood that flows will be that of istihaada.
