#283: Ruling on seeing Blood Prior to Menstruation

310. Question

Salam alaikum. Please I have a question.. If a woman is having dark colored discharge days (say a week) before her menses, is it considered as part of the menses, and if it is, does she have to repay all the fast she took during the period that happened. And what if this commonly happens to her, especially during Ramadan. What will she do. Jazakumullahu khairan.

ANSWER

Wa alaikum salaam Wa Rahmatullah Wa barakatuh,

Regarding this issue, the Shaykh Ibn Baaz rahimahullah was asked:

Before my period comes I have a brown discharge that lasts for five days, after which comes the menstrual blood. The menstrual blood lasts for eight days after the first five days. I pray on the five days but I wonder whether I should fast and pray on these days or not? Please advise me, may Allaah reward you.

He replied:

If the five days on which you have the brown discharge are separate from the days when you bleed, then this is not menstruation, and you have to pray on these days and can fast, but you should do wudoo’ for each prayer, because this comes under the same ruling as urine, not the rulings on menstruation. So it does not mean that you cannot pray and fast, but it does mean that you have to do wudoo’ every time, until that discharge stops, as in the case of istihaadah (non-menstrual bleeding).

But if these five days are followed immediately by your period, then they are part of your period, so you should not fast or pray on these days.

Similarly, if this brownish or yellowish discharge comes after your period ends, it is not to be regarded as part of the period, rather it comes under the ruling on istihaadah, so you have to wash your private parts with water and do wudoo’ for each prayer, and you should pray and fast, and not regard this as menstruation. You are also permissible for your husband, because Umm ‘Atiyyah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “We used to think that the brownish and yellowish discharge after the end of the period did not matter.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari and by Abu Dawood; this version narrated by Abu Dawood). Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 10/207

And Allaah knows best.

Based on the above,
If it is connected to her menses, she should regard it as menses and stop fasting. But if it not connected, she will not regard it as menses and keep her fast. Note that She has to repay all the missed fast anyways.

Allah knows best

Jazaakumullahu khairan!
Baarakallahu feekum!

Answered by Abu Hafs

11th Ramadan 1438A.H

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