Fatwa ID: 06842

 

Answered by: Alimah Saleha Bukhari Islam

 

Question:

 

If a woman cannot see the stain of period blood and it’s only coming out a little bit out of the inner vagina and maybe coming out mixed with urine while urinating, does this mean that the period is not finished yet. Does the woman have to wait until she can take a bath?

 

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

 

Answer:

 

Menstruation (Haidh) is a minimum of 72 hours (3 days and 3 nights) and a maximum of 240 hours (10 days and 10 nights). A woman should take a ritual bath (ghusl) when her bleeding stops and resume praying.

 

When a woman reaches the end of her menstruation (Haidh) and can no longer see blood stains on the padding, there is still a possibility of blood remaining to exit. In this situation, a woman must wait until the end of the prayer time to perform a purificatory bath (ghusl) to be as certain as possible that Haidh has ended.

 

From what you have described, you are correct in thinking that your bleeding has not ended since there are remains of blood. Once you see clear or white discharge, or no discharge at all then this will indicate your menstruation has ended, and it would be necessary for you to perform ghusl and pray. [1]

 

Using a piece of secure cotton (Kursuf) in these last moments can also help determine whether the bleeding has stopped, thereby eliminating the need for repeating the ghusl. This is a type of secure cotton padding placed closely in the opening of the vagina (farj kharij) or inserted within the walls of the vagina (farj dakhil), to absorb the remainder of the blood even if a little amount. [2]

 

Be cautious, a woman may see bleeding/spotting even after performing ghusl in which case, she will need to repeat ghusl to attain purity.

 

Note: If your days of habit are less than a maximum of 240 hours (10 days and 10 nights) then there is a possibility that your habit may change, and it is therefore wajib to keep a strict record of days and times for Haidh and Tuhr, for calculation purposes.

 

The little bleeding you have witnessed will only count as Haidh if seen within the maximum of 240 hours (10 days and 10 nights), any bleeding beyond this will be disregarded and counted as uterine bleeding (Istihadha).

 

 

 

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Alimah Saleha Bukhari Islam

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1]  Birgivi’s Manual Interpreted, p. 35 [3.5], Amana Publications

 

[2] Ibid., p. 48.