#1121: On The Ruling Of Blood Seen By Female Outside The Known Menstrual Period

“I have a question: A sister menses stops 11 days ago. And she was not supposed to expect it until the next 28days. Which she’s free to fast. But unfortunately she sees drop of blood today. She now ask whether to continue with her fast or not”

ANSWER:

Alhamdulillah.

Firstly, we apologise for the delay in responding to this question and we ask Allah to grant us and you Tawfiq and Sadaad, amin.

Next, we say, if the color of the droplet is Grey, brownish or yellowish, then you are not expected to worry about this and you should continue your Ibaadah as usual. This is based on the Hadith of Umm ‘Atiyyah as recorded by Imaam Al-Bukhaari and Abu Daawud As-Sijistaani rahimahullah where she said:

كنا لا نعد الكدرة والصفرة بعد الطهر شيئًا

“We, (the women Companions in the lifetime of the Rasul salallahu alayhi wasallam) did not consider the brownish greyish and the yellow droplets as anything to reckon with after purity (from menses) has occured”

If however it is not of any of these colors then you should observe, does it bear the distinct characteristics of menstrual blood? Menstrual blood has its distinct characteristic odour, color and feel that is known to women.

If the droplets to which you refer share these characteristics, then it is obligatory upon you to assume that this is menstruation in which case you must leave Salaah and Fast in accordance with what Menstruating women do and you must not say, ‘my period is not supposed to be here until so, so and so a day’ this is because though, menstruation follows a pattern, the forbiddance or praying and fasting when Menstruating is a function of the bleeding itself and not a function of the period. And there has been many examples of where the period changes either due to the change in food, habits, physical activities, pregnancy, nursing, or it’s likes.

Then, if the droplets do not share the distinct attributes of the Menstrual Blood, then you must assume it is a bleeding from a vein or a bleeding that has nothing to do with menstruation. This is regarded as Istihaadah. The requirement in this case is to wash yourself up before every Wudhu for as long as it lasts.

For further reading on this, you may refer to the answers to Questions 66, 310, 313 and 314 in our Telegram Channel:

Allah knows best.

Barakallahu Fikum
Jazakumullahu Khyran

Abū Asim

21st Ramadān, 1442AH.

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