Abu Faaris As-Sumalee
13th August 2006, 04:17 PM
Bismilahi-ir-rahman-ir-rahim
ISTIHADAH
Istihadah is an irregular vaginal bleeding other than menstruation, caused by a vein called in arabic Al-Adhil. The case of mustahadah 8 is so confusing, for the blood of menstruation resembles that of istihadah. The question here is: Since the mustahdah is legally considered pure, how can she distinguish between menstruation and bleeding of istihadah when her bleeding continues all the time? How can she distinguish then between menstruation and istihadah, bearing in mind that she is legally and ritually deemed pure in the latter case?
In fact, there are three cases of mustahadah:
1- When a woman used to have a stable, regular menstrual period (i.e having certain duration of menstrual period) before she had istihadah.
In such a case , a woman can distinguish between both states relying on her stable menstual period, ( i.e the bleeding that contradicts the duration of her menstrual period is reqarded as that of istihadah). Thus, such a woman can wait untill her usual period ends, then deem any other bleeding as istihadah, as the prophet (saw) said to umm habibah in this regard :
"Remain away (from prayer) equal (to the length of time) that your menstrual period used to prevent you. After that (after the period of usual couses),bathe yourself and perform prayer."
(Related by imam muslim)9
Moreover, theprophet (saw) said to fatimah bint abu hubaysh:
"This (i.eistihadah) is from a blood vein, not (usual) menstruation. so, when your real menstual period begins, give up performing prayer."
(Related by Al-Bukhari and muslim) 10
2- When a woman does not have a regular menstrual period , but her bleeding is always distinguishable; sometimes she bleeds malodorous, thick and black blood (i.e having the characteristics of menstuation blood), and some other times she bleeds red blood which is neither thick nor malodorous. Such a woman is to consider the former kind of blood as that of her menstrual period, during which she gives up prayer and fasting, regards the other kind of blood as that of istihaadah, the period in which she can perform prayer and observe fasting, for she is considered ritually pure in this case. The prophet (saw) said to fatimah bin abu hubaysh:
"When the menstruation blood comes, it is blck blood that can be recognized. So, When that comes, give up performing prayer, but when a different type of blood comes, you can perform abluton and perform prayer...."
This hadith is related by abu dawud and an nasai , and deemed sahih by ibn hibban and al-hakim 11. It states that the ruling depends on the judgment of the recognition of the woman herself.
3- When a woman has neither a regular menstrual period nor a distinguishable kind of blood (e.g the perplexed woman). Such a woman must follow the prevalent womanly menstrual period (i.e average of six or seven days a month) and deem whatever discharge after this period as istihadah ; the prophet (saw) said to hanah bint jahsh:
"This (i.e istihadah ) is a strike (i.e harm) caused by satan , so you should count six or seven days for menstruation, then you should take a ritual bath. If you see that you have purified yourself, then perform pryaer for twenty four or twenty three days and fast for this will be sufficient for you. So, you should do as women do during their menstrual period.
This hadith is related by the five compilers of hadith 12, and deemed sahih by At-Tirmidhi 13
To sum up, we can say:
A. a woman with a table, regular menstual period distinguishes istihadah according to her habit.
B. a woman with a distinguishable blood depends on her own judgment and her ability to distinguish betwwn her menstruation and istihadah.
C. a woman that has neither (a regular period nor distinguishable blood) is to consider six or seven days a month and then take a ritual bath
These aforementioned rulings combine the three rules stated by the prophet (saw) concerning a woman in a state of istihadah.
Shaykhul-Islam (ra) said:
"There are six distinctive fratures betweeen menstruation and istihadah. The first is regular , stable menstual period, which is the most cogent, reliable distinctive sighn (between menstruation and istihadah), as any discharge other than that of menstruation is regarded as istihdah.The second is the distinguishable blood; the malodouous, thick and black blood is considered with grater reason as menstuation blood, rather than the red on. The third distinction is to follow the prevalent womanly menstrual period, as the original juristic rule is that the ruling on the individual follows that on the majority. These three cases are stated in the sunnah and by means of legal considration...."14
Then he (ibn taymiyah) mentioned the remaining three cases and in his conclusion he said:
".....The most valid opinion is to abide by the first(three) cases as they were stated in the sunnah, and to riject the others."15
Obligatory acts to be observed by a mustahadah in case she is deemed ritually pure
1. She has to take a ritual bath when her estimated period for mensturation ends, as mentioned above.
2. She has to wash her vulva upon every performance of prayer, put a piece of coton or the like in there prevent bleeding, about a woman in a state of istihadah, the prophet (saw)said:
"She should give up prayer during her menstual period, after which she should take a bath and then she can perform prayer."
This hadith is related by abu dawud, ibn majah and at-tirmidhi; the latter maintains that it is hasan16,17
The prophet also said about a mustahadah:
"I advise you to use cotton (to stuff the vagina with it,) for it absorbs the blood."18
Woman also can use sanitary napkins available nowadays.
--------------------------------------------------
8- Mustihaah: A womaan in a state of istihadah (i.e a woman having vaginal bleeding other than menstruation).
9- Muslim(757) [2/249]
10- abu dawud(286) [1/432]
11- abu dawud (286) [1/143], An-Nasai (215) [1/133] , ibn hibban (1348) [4/180] + more
12- abu dawud , Ahmad, at-tirmithi , an-nasaian dibn majah
13-Ahmad (274630 [6/489] abu dawud (287) [1/144], at-tirmidhi (128) [1/221]
+more
14- See ibn taymiyah's majmu ul-fatawa [21/630]
15. ibid
16-good
17- Abu dawud (297) [1/151] , at-tirmidhi (126) [1,144] and ibn majah (625) [1/346]
The last part of this will be on postnatal bleeding.
ISTIHADAH
Istihadah is an irregular vaginal bleeding other than menstruation, caused by a vein called in arabic Al-Adhil. The case of mustahadah 8 is so confusing, for the blood of menstruation resembles that of istihadah. The question here is: Since the mustahdah is legally considered pure, how can she distinguish between menstruation and bleeding of istihadah when her bleeding continues all the time? How can she distinguish then between menstruation and istihadah, bearing in mind that she is legally and ritually deemed pure in the latter case?
In fact, there are three cases of mustahadah:
1- When a woman used to have a stable, regular menstrual period (i.e having certain duration of menstrual period) before she had istihadah.
In such a case , a woman can distinguish between both states relying on her stable menstual period, ( i.e the bleeding that contradicts the duration of her menstrual period is reqarded as that of istihadah). Thus, such a woman can wait untill her usual period ends, then deem any other bleeding as istihadah, as the prophet (saw) said to umm habibah in this regard :
"Remain away (from prayer) equal (to the length of time) that your menstrual period used to prevent you. After that (after the period of usual couses),bathe yourself and perform prayer."
(Related by imam muslim)9
Moreover, theprophet (saw) said to fatimah bint abu hubaysh:
"This (i.eistihadah) is from a blood vein, not (usual) menstruation. so, when your real menstual period begins, give up performing prayer."
(Related by Al-Bukhari and muslim) 10
2- When a woman does not have a regular menstrual period , but her bleeding is always distinguishable; sometimes she bleeds malodorous, thick and black blood (i.e having the characteristics of menstuation blood), and some other times she bleeds red blood which is neither thick nor malodorous. Such a woman is to consider the former kind of blood as that of her menstrual period, during which she gives up prayer and fasting, regards the other kind of blood as that of istihaadah, the period in which she can perform prayer and observe fasting, for she is considered ritually pure in this case. The prophet (saw) said to fatimah bin abu hubaysh:
"When the menstruation blood comes, it is blck blood that can be recognized. So, When that comes, give up performing prayer, but when a different type of blood comes, you can perform abluton and perform prayer...."
This hadith is related by abu dawud and an nasai , and deemed sahih by ibn hibban and al-hakim 11. It states that the ruling depends on the judgment of the recognition of the woman herself.
3- When a woman has neither a regular menstrual period nor a distinguishable kind of blood (e.g the perplexed woman). Such a woman must follow the prevalent womanly menstrual period (i.e average of six or seven days a month) and deem whatever discharge after this period as istihadah ; the prophet (saw) said to hanah bint jahsh:
"This (i.e istihadah ) is a strike (i.e harm) caused by satan , so you should count six or seven days for menstruation, then you should take a ritual bath. If you see that you have purified yourself, then perform pryaer for twenty four or twenty three days and fast for this will be sufficient for you. So, you should do as women do during their menstrual period.
This hadith is related by the five compilers of hadith 12, and deemed sahih by At-Tirmidhi 13
To sum up, we can say:
A. a woman with a table, regular menstual period distinguishes istihadah according to her habit.
B. a woman with a distinguishable blood depends on her own judgment and her ability to distinguish betwwn her menstruation and istihadah.
C. a woman that has neither (a regular period nor distinguishable blood) is to consider six or seven days a month and then take a ritual bath
These aforementioned rulings combine the three rules stated by the prophet (saw) concerning a woman in a state of istihadah.
Shaykhul-Islam (ra) said:
"There are six distinctive fratures betweeen menstruation and istihadah. The first is regular , stable menstual period, which is the most cogent, reliable distinctive sighn (between menstruation and istihadah), as any discharge other than that of menstruation is regarded as istihdah.The second is the distinguishable blood; the malodouous, thick and black blood is considered with grater reason as menstuation blood, rather than the red on. The third distinction is to follow the prevalent womanly menstrual period, as the original juristic rule is that the ruling on the individual follows that on the majority. These three cases are stated in the sunnah and by means of legal considration...."14
Then he (ibn taymiyah) mentioned the remaining three cases and in his conclusion he said:
".....The most valid opinion is to abide by the first(three) cases as they were stated in the sunnah, and to riject the others."15
Obligatory acts to be observed by a mustahadah in case she is deemed ritually pure
1. She has to take a ritual bath when her estimated period for mensturation ends, as mentioned above.
2. She has to wash her vulva upon every performance of prayer, put a piece of coton or the like in there prevent bleeding, about a woman in a state of istihadah, the prophet (saw)said:
"She should give up prayer during her menstual period, after which she should take a bath and then she can perform prayer."
This hadith is related by abu dawud, ibn majah and at-tirmidhi; the latter maintains that it is hasan16,17
The prophet also said about a mustahadah:
"I advise you to use cotton (to stuff the vagina with it,) for it absorbs the blood."18
Woman also can use sanitary napkins available nowadays.
--------------------------------------------------
8- Mustihaah: A womaan in a state of istihadah (i.e a woman having vaginal bleeding other than menstruation).
9- Muslim(757) [2/249]
10- abu dawud(286) [1/432]
11- abu dawud (286) [1/143], An-Nasai (215) [1/133] , ibn hibban (1348) [4/180] + more
12- abu dawud , Ahmad, at-tirmithi , an-nasaian dibn majah
13-Ahmad (274630 [6/489] abu dawud (287) [1/144], at-tirmidhi (128) [1/221]
+more
14- See ibn taymiyah's majmu ul-fatawa [21/630]
15. ibid
16-good
17- Abu dawud (297) [1/151] , at-tirmidhi (126) [1,144] and ibn majah (625) [1/346]
The last part of this will be on postnatal bleeding.