Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Question: Assalamu alaykum
My question concerns menstruation and irregular cycles as a result of birth control use. It usually takes about three months for a woman’s cycle to adjust to birth control, which often results in spotting earlier than a woman’s proper time for her cycle. What is the Islamic ruling on whether or not a woman can pray or be intimate with her spouse during this time? Does the ruling depend on when this spotting occurs?
Answer: Wa ‘alaykum as-salam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh
Thank you for your questions.
The Basics
Any bleeding or spotting seen whilst one is taking some for of birth control would have to be classified as menses (ḥayḍ) or dysfunctional bleeding (istiḥāḍa) if it meets their criteria. A menstrual cycle is at least 72 hours and, at its maximum, 240 hours (3-10 days); and between one cycle and the next there has to be at least fifteen days of purity. It is not necessary that the bleeding is constant in order for it to be considered a period it is sufficient that the bleeding occurs for the minimum three day period – even intermittently. During this time one does not pray, fast or having intimate relations with one’s spouse.
Dysfunctional bleeding is any bleeding which occurs outside of one’s normal menstrual habit. It’s colour and texture are of no consequence. It does not prevent one from praying, fasting or intimate relations. It is necessary, therefore, for believing women to document their menstrual cycles – the number of days in the period, and the days of purity, and where they occur during the month. This helps determine what is dysfunctional bleeding if a problem arises.
Birth Control
Knowing one’s menstrual habit is essential if one uses some form of birth control. There are various ways in which birth control prevent pregnancy, but the most common forms, the pill and the intrauterine device – also known as ‘the coil’ – usually work by thickening the cervical mucus to prevent the sperm reaching the uterus, preventing the sperm from reaching of fertilising the egg, thinning the uterine lining or a combination of the above. This means that when the uterine lining breaks down the blood/spotting that is consequently seen will be considered menstrual blood if it lasts for three to ten days. This may not happen for everyone, so one would need to consult with a scholar regarding a particular scenario.
One should also take the means to study these rulings in detail in order to be able to recognise when there is a problem, and then seek clarification form a scholar about the scenario.
Allah knows best.
May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.
Wassalam,
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim Reasat