How Do I Differentiate Between Menses and Irregular Bleeding?

Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Badat

Question:

I had my period on 4^th September and it ended on 11^th September which is my usual menstruation week every month. However, I got my period again on 22^nd September. I considered this as hayḍ (menses) and stopped offering ṣalāh. On 2^nd October my bleeding has not stopped. What should I do in this circumstance? Was the bleeding from 22^nd September really considered as hayḍ (menses) or istiḥāḍah (irregular bleeding)?

Answer:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

In the name of Allāh, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Jazāk Allāh Khayr/ Thank you for contacting Mathabah Institute.

According to the Ḥanafī fiqh, the bleeding prior to the 15 days after 11^th will be considered istiḥāḍah (irregular bleeding). Once the 15 days are complete, it will be considered ḥayḍ (menses) for a maximum of 10 days. It should be noted that the minimum days of purity between two periods is 15 days and the maximum days of menses (ḥayḍ) is 10 days. – (See: Rad Al-Muḥtār, Vol 1, Page 258 and 289, Dār Al-Fikr)

Only Allāh knows best

وَيُجَاوِزُ الْعَشَرَةَ فِي الْحَيْضِ وَالْأَرْبَعِينَ فِي النِّفَاسِ يَكُونُ اسْتِحَاضَةً – كتاب الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين رد المحتار ج١/ ص٢٥٨ دار الفكر

 اعْلَمْ أَنَّ الطُّهْرَ الْمُتَخَلِّلَ بَيْنَ الدَّمَيْنِ إذَا كَانَ خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْمًا فَأَكْثَرَ يَكُونُ فَاصِلًا بَيْنَ الدَّمَيْنِ فِي الْحَيْضِ اتِّفَاقًا فَمَا بَلَغَ مِنْ كُلٍّ مِنْ الدَّمَيْنِ نِصَابًا جُعِلَ حَيْضًا وَأَنَّهُ إذَا كَانَ أَقَلَّ مِنْ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ لَا يَكُونُ فَاصِلًا وَإِنْ كَانَ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ الدَّمَيْنِ اتِّفَاقًا ١٦ – كتاب الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين رد المحتار ج١/ ص٢٨٩ دار الفكر