Fatwa ID: 05771

 

Answered by: Alimah Fatima Begum

 

Question:

 

Since 2008 I have been spotting (not white discharge) throughout the year on and off.
•       In Dec 2015 I bled from 29th to the 6th January. What was Haydh and was Istihada?
•       On Jan 18th to the 21st I bled again.
•       Jan 27th to 30th again I bled.
•       16th Feb to 19 Feb I bled.
•       23rd Feb to 26th Feb I bled
•       Mar 16 to 19 I bled
•       Throughout April I have been spotting on and off every other day.
•       May 10th to the 13th I bled
•       June 11th evening to the 14th morning I bled

 

1. a)     In the above days, which days are Istihada and which days are haidh?
   b)    What is my haidh habit?

 

 

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

 

Answer:

 

Spotting will be considered as haidh (period) if it lasts between 3 and 10 days.

 

A habit is established through one occurrence of menstruation.

 

The first period you experienced from 29th Dec through to 6th Jan lasted for 9 days.

 

The Prophet of Allah Sallallahu Alahi Wasalam has said, “Two menstruations cannot occur within fifteen days of each other.”
(Sunan Baihaqi)

 

Keeping the above principle in mind and looking back at your dates, your next period was on 18^th Jan. There was only a gap of 12 days from the last period which means the second bleeding cannot be counted at haidh, thus making it istihadha.

 

The bleeding from 27^th to 30^th Jan (4 days) would be haidh. (Since it is more than 15 days from your last valid period). This is now your habit.

 

The bleeding from 16^th to 19^th Feb (4 days) would also be haidh based on the same reason.

 

The bleeding from 23^rd to 26^th Feb (4 days) would be istihadha due to there being less than a 15-day gap.

 

The bleeding from 16^th to 19^th March (4 days) would be haidh. (Since it is more than 15 days from your last valid period).

 

The spotting you experienced throughout April will be considered as haidh if it was between 3 and 10 days and at least 15 days apart from your last period. Any bleeding beyond that would be istihadha.

 

The bleeding from 10^th to 13^th May (4 days) would be haidh as long as it was 15 days from the April menstruation.

 

The bleeding from 11^th to 14^th June (4 days) is haidh.

 

After reviewing your dates, I have highlighted the days of haidh and istihadha.

 

Your current habit is 4 days.

 

It is important to note that habits can change. If now, your bleeding changes to anything between 3 and 10 days, that would be your new habit. However, if you bleed for more than 10 days, your habit will remain as 4 days and all extra bleeding days will be istihadha. (Fatawa Hindiyyah p.37 v.1)

 

 

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Alimah Fatima Begum

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham