Chapter Three

Changes In The State Of Menses There are many types of changes that affect the state of menses: First: Increase or decrease, e.g. a period that normally lasts for six days continues for one more day or a period that normally stays for seven days ends on the sixth day. Second: Advancement or Delay, e.g. a woman having her "normal" period at the end of each month finds herself menstruating at the beginning of the month or the opposite. Scholars did differ about the religious decree regarding these two situations. The correct position is that whenever she sees the blood then she is menstruating and whenever she becomes clean then she is in the state of purity regardless of whether there was an increase, decrease, advancement or delay in her period. This is because the application of rulings about Haid, as detailed above, depends upon the actual existence of Haid blood. Third: yellowish discharge (which looks like yellowish pus) or Kudrah: looking between yellowish and blackish discharge. If this occurs during the Haid period or immediately after it and prior to the state of Tahara (cleanliness), then it is to be considered as Haid with all the rulings of Haid being applicable. If these discharges occur after the state of Tahara then it is not Haid in lieu of the saying of Umm 'Atiyya (radiyallaahu 'anha); "we never considered yellowish discharge (after cleanliness as a thing of importance (as menses)."20 The same was reported by Al-Bukhari21 without the words "after cleanliness." Imam al-Bukhari, however, tabulated this hadith under the Chapter Title "Yellowish discharge during the days between the periods." He based this upon another hadith by 'Aisha in the same Chapter entitled "The beginning and end of the menstrual periods": 20Related by Abu-Dawoud with a good chain of narrators. 21Saheeh Al-Bukhari (Arabic-English) V. 1, P.194 # 323. "Some women used to send the pads of cotton with traces of yellowish discharge to 'Aisha (radiyallaahu 'anha) (for the verdict to know whether they had become clean from menses or not). and 'Aisha (radiyallaahu 'anha) would say:"Do not hurry till you see Al-Qassatal' Bayedaa' (white discharge from the womb; the cotton pad will be white) meaning the perfect disappearance of menses."22 Fourth: discontinuity in menstruation such that blood flows on one day and it stops the next day. There are two circumstances associated with this type: (1) discontinuity occurs all the time. In this case this blood is considered a blood of Istihadah and all rulings of Istihadah are applicable. (2) discontinuity occurs only sometimes and there is a period of cleanliness. Scholars differed regarding this period of cleanliness: is it really a period of Tahara whereby the laws of Haid are not applicable, or is it part of the Haid? According to Imam Ash-Shaafi'ee, Ibn Taymeeyah, and Imam Abu Haneefa's school of thought this associated period is part of Haid because the Qassah Al-Bayedaa' is not seen and if it were to be considered as "Tahara" then there will be difficulty and hardship upon women. Certainly this is against the essence of the Islamic principles. On the other hand, the well known opinion of the Hanbali (pronounced Hambali) School of thought is that blood flow is Haid and cleanliness is "Tahara" except when the combined times of Haid and "cleanliness" exceeds the "longest period of Haid" which, according to this school is fifteen days. Blood flow beyond this "upper limit" is considered Istihadah." The author of Al-Mughnee (a great reference book compiling the Hanbali Fiqh) said: "If the blood stops for less than one day the state cannot be considered as "Tahara" unless she sees a clear evidence, for example, the flow stops at the end of her period or she sees the Qassah Al-Bayedaa'."23 This author said: "The above saying in the Mughnee is an intermediate position between the two above opinions, and Allah Knows best." 22ibid,V.1, P.190, Chapter: "The beginning and the Ending of menstrual Period." 23Al-Mughnee V. 1, P. 355. Fifth: dryness in the blood: A woman sees some wet discharge. If this occurs during Haid or linked to it, prior to Tahara, then it is menstruation (Haid). If it occurs after Tahara then it is not Haid.