I recently had intervaginal surgery, after which I immediately got my periods. Periods have finished, but since I still have medical discharge, I didn’t start praying. How can I understand when my discharge is not a sign of impurity? The medical post-surgical discharge I have is not 100% blood, but also not white. It is reducing day by day, and probably will stop in a week time, but I don’t want to miss my prays if I can pray.
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Sister in Islam,
In principle, if blood continues to flow after the normal days of the cycle, and exceeds ten days when added to the days of the cycle, then the days after the normal cycle will be called days of istihādah.[1] A woman in istihādah will perform wudū for every prayer time and perform her salah.[2]
For example,
- Person A has a normal cycle of 6 days of menstruation every month.
- In a particular month, after the 6 days of her normal cycle, blood continued to flow for an additional 6 days.
- Days 7, 8…12 will be days of istihādah.
- In the days of istihādah, Person A will perform wudū for every salah time and perform her salah.
However, if blood does not exceed ten days, then the cycle will be considered changed.
For example,
- Person A has a normal cycle of 6 days of menstruation every month.
- In a particular month, after the 6 days of her normal cycle, blood continued to flow for an additional 2 days.
- Person A’s new cycle will be 8 days.
N.B. All days of blood will be added together unless there is a 15 day gap of no blood in between.[3]
For example,
- Person A has a normal cycle of 6 days of menstruation every month.
- In a particular month, after the 6 days of her normal cycle, blood continued to flow on every alternate day for the next 8 days.
- Days 1, 2…6 will remain days of haid (menstruation), and days 7, 8…14 will be days of istihādah.
Alternate example,
- Person A has a normal cycle of 6 days of menstruation every month.
- In a particular month, after the 6 days of her normal cycle, blood continued to flow on every alternate day for the next 4 days.
- Person A’s new cycle will be 10 days.
If you are unable to decipher your situation or if you want confirmation, please provide the following information in order for us to assist:
- How many days is your normal cycle?
- How many days did you see blood after the normal days of your cycle?
- Did the blood stop any time in between? If so, for how long did it stop?
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Hisham Dawood
Student Darul Iftaa
Chicago, USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
(قَوْلُهُ وَالزَّائِدُ عَلَى أَكْثَرِهِ) أَيْ فِي حَقِّ الْمُبْتَدَأَةِ ، أَمَّا الْمُعْتَادَةُ فَمَا زَادَ عَلَى عَادَتِهَا وَيُجَاوِزُ الْعَشَرَةَ فِي الْحَيْضِ وَالْأَرْبَعِينَ فِي النِّفَاسِ يَكُونُ اسْتِحَاضَةً كَمَا أَشَارَ إلَيْهِ بِقَوْلِهِ أَوْ عَلَى الْعَادَةِ إلَخْ .أَمَّا إذَا لَمْ يَتَجَاوَزْ الْأَكْثَرَ فِيهِمَا ، فَهُوَ انْتِقَالٌ لِلْعَادَةِ فِيهِمَا ، فَيَكُونُ حَيْضًا وَنِفَاسًا رَحْمَتِيٌّ
( رد المحتار علي الدر المختار،ج ١،ص ٥٢٤، دار المعرفة)
(وأما) حكم الاستحاضة فالمستحاضة حكمها حكم الطاهرات غير أنها تتوضأ لوقت كل صلاة على ما بينا (بدائع الصنائع، الاستحاضة وأحكامها)
(أَقَلُّ الطُّهْرِ) بَيْنَ الْحَيْضَتَيْنِ أَوْ النِّفَاسِ وَالْحَيْضِ (خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْمًا) وَلَيَالِيهَا إجْمَاعًا (وَلَا حَدَّ لِأَكْثَرِهِ)
(رد المحتار علي الدر المختار. ج ١، ص ٢٨٥، ايج ايم سعيد كمبني)