The Ritual Ablutions for Women
Taharatu 'N-Nisa '
Author(s):Sayyid MuhammadRizvi
Publisher(s): Vancouver Islamic Educational Foundation
www.alhassanain.org/english
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Table of Contents
Preface 4
Introduction 6
2. Definition Of Hayz 6
3. Duration Of Hayz 7
4. Different Categories Of Ha'iz 8
5. A Girl Entering Puberty 8
6. General Rules About Zatu 'L‑`Adah Women 9
7. The Forgetful Zatu 'L‑'Adah Women 11
8. The Muztaribah 13
9. The Things Forbidden To The Ha'iz 13
10. Sex During Menstruation 15
11. The Salat Before & After The Menses 15
12. Ghusl U'l‑Hayz 16
Notes 16
Istihazah - The Irregular Bleeding 18
1. Definition Of Istihazah 18
2. Three Types Of Istihazah 18
3. The Prayers Of The Mustahazah 18
4. Some General Rules 19
5. How The Mustahazah Should Fast? 21
6. Is Anything Forbidden To The Mustahazah? 21
Defnition Of Nifas - Post Natal Bleeding 22
1. Definition Of Nifas 22
2. Three Types Of Nafsa' 22
3. Some General Rules 22
4. Pre‑Natal Bleeding 23
5. The Things Forbidden To The Nafsa' 24
6. Ghusl U'n‑Nifas 24
Note 24
Glossary 26
Preface
Knowing the laws regarding the monthly periods and pre‑ or post‑natal bleeding is an essential duty of every Muslim woman.But the unavailability of a comprehensive book in English on this subject has made the access to these laws almost impossible for those Muslim women who are unfamiliar with Arabic, Persian or Urdu. One reason for the unavailability of such a book in English is that in many Muslim communities, open discussion of this and similar subjectswere tabooed . This, plus the complication of the laws of menstruation (which arises from the vast differences in the patterns of women's menstrual cycles) may have discouraged many writers from dealing with this subject comprehensively.
The present writer, by putting his trust in Allah, has tried to accomplish this task and has simplified, to his utmost ability, the laws of theshari'ah regarding the women in their monthly periods.
This book consists of three parts:
1. Menstruation.
2. Irregular Bleeding.
3. Post‑natal Bleeding.
The last two parts are tobe read as normally.But as far as the first part is concerned, the reader is requested to read the following instruction which will help her from getting confused.
There are three stages of reading the first part of this book:
Firstly, you areadviced to read the first four chapters (pp. 1‑7) . In the fourthchapter you will find the definitions of different categories of women in their monthly periods. In this chapter, find the appropriate category to which you belong.
Secondly, proceed to read only one of the next four chapters (chps . 5‑8) which is about your appropriate category. At this stage do not read the laws and problems of the women in other categories otherwise you will get confused.
Thirdly, read the last four chapters (chps . 9‑12).
In chapter six of partI , have given some charts to simplify the laws. To understand the charts, please read the following:
An index has been added to enable the readers to find those minor but importantlaws which could not beaccomodated under an individual heading.
At the end,I thank Allah for giving me an opportunity to serve His chosen religion, and may He accept this humble work from one of His most humble servants.
S. M.Rizvi
Tel: (604) 278‑3698
Richmond, B.C.
Ramadan 1405.
May 1985.
Introduction
Menstruation is a naturalprocess which takes place in woman's body every month. Before explaining the laws of theshari'ah about menstruation, it seems appropriate to discuss, in short, that why does this takeplace?
Allah has created the woman such that she plays the major role in the perpetuation of the human race. The primary reproductive organs of a woman are her ovaries. When a girl is born, her ovaries already contain about 400,000 immature eggs (whichare known as ova). At puberty, the eggs start maturing, usually one ovum each month. The maturing of the ovum takes place roughly halfway between two menstrual cycles. After maturing, it finds its way from the ovary to the fallopian tube and ends up in the womb.
Meanwhile the womb (while preparing for the possible arrival of a fertilized egg) develops a thick, soft, velvetylining which is made up mostly of blood vessels.
This thick, soft lining in the wombis called endometrium .
If an eggis fertilized , it will be embedded inendometrium and continues its growth.But if no egg is fertilized, theendometrium (i.e. the lining of the womb) is no longer needed and is shed or discarded. This process of discarding theendometrium is known as menstruation.
From this biologicalexplanation it is clear that menstruation is neither “the curse”on woman nor a result of the so‑called original sin of Eve. Ratherit is a very normal biological process that ensures the perpetuation of the human race.
Of course, some women feel uncomfortable a few days before and during menstruation. This discomfort is caused by some of the biologicalchanges which take place in the woman's body. Allah says,They ask you about menstruation. (O Muhammad), tell them that menstruation is a discomfort for the women,(it is a period when they pass through physical and emotional tension.) (2:222)
In this part of thebook I intend, by putting my trust in Allah, to explain the Islamic laws (shari'ah ) regarding the women who are in their monthly periods.First the definition of menstruation, its signs and its duration will be discussed; then comes the different categories of women who are in menstruation; followed by four chapters on the laws about the women in each category; and finally the acts which are forbidden to a woman during her periods and the manner ofghusl are explained.
2. DefinitionOf Hayz
There are four possible causes for discharge of blood from women:
1. Menstruation.
2. Loss of virginity.
3. Post‑natal bleeding.
4. Internal injury.
As mentioned above, menstruation is different from the blood of group 2, 3, and 4. In the Islamic legal terminology, menstruationis known ashayz .And a woman who is having her period is known as haiz.1
According to Islamic laws, menstruation is the process of discarding theendometrium which normally takes place once a month in women from the day they attain puberty until they reach the age of menopause. (Menopause = final cessation of menstruation.)
From theshari'ah point of view, a girl attains puberty at the age of nine lunar years,2 and she reaches menopause at the age of fifty. ImamJa'far as‑Sddiq (upon whom be peace) said, “The age when a woman ceases to have menstruation is fifty years.” 3
So , if a girl sees blood before she becomes nine years old by lunar calendar, that blood is not considered menstruation (even if it may be regarded menstruation from the biological point of view). In the same way, if a woman sees blood after the age of fifty that bloodwill not be considered menstruation.
If a girl who does not know whether she has become nine years old sees blood on herself, then that bloodcannot be considered menstruation even if it has all its three signs. (See below for the three signs of menstruation.) On the other hand, if a woman who doubtswhether or not she has reached the age of menopause sees blood, then she should consider it as menstruation.
If a woman who has reached the age of menopause (i.e., fifty years) sees blood onherself with the three signs of menstruation or at the fixed time of her monthly periods, then what should she do? For such a woman, it isprecautionarily wajib to act on precaution up to the age of sixty. Any blood seen after the age of sixtywill be considered istihazah . (See part II foristihazah .)
“Acting onprecaution ” means to refrain from those things which are forbidden to aha'iz and perform those things which are required of a woman inistihazah .
According to theshari'ah , it is possible for a pregnant woman and a nursing mother to have menstruation.
The Signs: If a woman is not sure about the nature of her discharge, then she should look for the following three signs of the menstrual blood: (a) warmth; (b) dark red or blackcolour ; (c) pressure and slight burning in the discharge. If these three signsare found together, then it is menstruation.
These signs have been taken from ahadith of ImamJa'far as‑Sddiq (peace be upon him). A woman came to him and asked, “What should a woman do who sees blood on herself but does not know whether it is menstruation or some other type (of blood)?” The Imam said, “The blood of menstruation is warm ...black (or dark‑coloured ), and it has pressure and burning sensation...” The woman said, “By Allah! If he had been a woman, he could not have added anything further in this (description)!” 4
3. DurationOf Hayz
The beginning of menstruation is determined when blood leaves the uterus and enters the vagina. It is necessary for the commencement of menstruation that the bloodshould be seen outside the vagina.
In anotherhadith , Imam as‑Sadiq said, “The minimum duration of menstruation is three days, and the maximum is ten days.” 5
By “threedays” we mean three days and the two nights between the first and the third day. For example, if blood starts on Monday morning and stops on Wednesday evening, then it is menstruation.And by “ten days” we mean ten days and the nine nights between the first and the tenth day.
So , if a woman sees blood for less than three days, it is not consideredhayz . If the bloodis seen for more than ten days, the ten days will be counted as menstruation and the blood seen after that will be regarded asistihazah .
The same Imam said, “The minimum duration of purity (between two menstrual cycles) must be (at least) ten days.”6 So if a woman sees blood during the ten days after her period had ended, it will not be consideredhayz .
Although it is normal to say that menstruation takes place once “a month”, but it should be clarified that menstrual cycles take place every 28 days ‑ so, in the present context “a month” means a period of 28 days, not 29, 30 or 31 days.
4. Different CategoriesOf Ha'iz
According to theshari'ah ,all the women are not same as far as the rules of menstruation are concerned. By taking into consideration the difference in regularity of time and days of monthly periods and their irregularity, womencan be divided into three main groups:
1.Mubtadi'ah : literally, a beginner; in the present context it means a girl who sees menstruation for the first time.
2.Zatu 'l‑'adah : a woman who has menstruation regularly at a fixed time or for a fixed number of days or both. If a woman has two consequent periods with regularity in time of theiroccurance and duration, then she is azatu 'l‑'adah = a woman who has formed a fixed pattern for her monthly periods.
On the other hand, if azatu 'l‑'adah woman discovers that her fixed pattern for menstruation has changed and this happens for two consequent months, then she should follow the new pattern.
Thezatu 'l‑'adah women can be of three types:
(a)a woman whose periods occur at a fixed time and for a fixed number of days. For example, on1st of every month and lasts for 7 days continuously or with a pause on the fourth day.
(b)a woman whose periods occur at a fixed time but not for a fixed number of days. For example, on1st of every month but sometimes for 4 days and at other times for 5 days.
(c)a woman whose periods occur for a fixed number of days but not at a fixed time. For example, she has her periods for 4 days but not at a fixed time, sometimes on1st and sometimes on 4th of every month.
3.Muztaribah : a woman who does not have her periods with regularity. For example, a woman has her one period on the1st of the month for five days and her second on the 5th of the month for three days and her third period on the 10th of the month for four days.Muztaribah here means a woman who has an irregular pattern for her monthly periods.
5. A Girl Entering Puberty
The girl who reaches the age of puberty and sees her menstruation for the first time is known asmubtadi'ah = the beginner.
If amubtadi'ah sees blood with thethree signs for more than three and less than ten days, then it is menstruation.
But if amubtadi'ah sees blood for more than ten days, then there are a fewpossibilites :
1. The blood was with the three signs for some days and without them for some other days, then the former is menstruation and the latter isistihazah .
2. The blood had the three signs during the entire flow but with a difference in intensity ofcolour , that is, some days it had blackcolour and some other days it had red or dark redcolour . In thiscase the flow with blackcolour will be considered menstruation and the other will be consideredistihazah .
3. If the entire flow was without the three signs or the flow with the three signs was less than three days, then the entire flowwill be considered istihazah .
4. If the blood had the three signs during the entire flow, then themubtadi'ah has to follow thenumberpattern of the women in her family, e.g., her mother, sister, etc. That is, if her mother's monthly period comes for six days, then she should consider the six days as menstruation and the remaining days asistihazah .
But if the women in a beginner's family differ in the number‑pattern of their monthly periods, then during the first month she should observe six or seven days as menstruation and act on precaution up to the tenth day. In the subsequentmonths she should observe the first three days as menstruation and act on precaution up to sixth or seventh day. This alternate patternshould be continued until she forms a fixed pattern of her own.
If a girl loses her virginity and blood is discharged so much that she is uncertain whether the blood is from the loss of virginity or menstruation or both, then she should examine herself “by inserting a piece of cotton inside her vagina and leave it there for a while. Then she should take it out gently ‑ if the blood has just stained the outside of the cotton, then it is from the loss of virginity; but if the blood has penetrated into the cotton, then it is menstruation.” 7
If she is unable to examine herself, then she should consider herself whatever she was before losing virginity ‑ either she was pure from menstruation or not.
6. General RulesAbout Zatu 'L‑`Adah Women
Thezatu 'I‑'adah women in groups (a) and (b) have to observe the rules of menstruation as soon as they see the blood. It makes no difference whether it starts on the fixed day, or one or two days before it or after it, even if it does not have all the three signs of menstrual flow. Of course, if she discovers that it was not menstruation (for example, the blood stopped on the second day), then she will have to perform hersalat (which she had missed during the two days) asqaza .
Thezatu 'l-adah women in group (c) have to observe the rules of menstruation if the blood has all the three signs of menstrual flow mentioned above. If the discharge does not have all the three signs, then itwill not be regarded as menstruation.
When azatu 'l‑'adah woman sees blood many days before or after the fixed time then if it has the three signs altogether, it is menstruation; otherwise it will be regarded asistihazah .
with 3 signs =hayz .
without 3 signs =istihazah .
with 3 signs =hayz .
without 3 signs =istihazah .
But as mentioned above, if azatu 'I‑'adah woman sees blood during the fixed time, it ishayz even if it does not have the three signs.
with or without 3 signs =hayz .
If azatu 'I‑'adah woman sees blood for three days and then it stops for some days and again it comes for three more days ‑ then both flows of blood and the pause between them will be consideredhayz only if (a) the total days of two flows and the pause between them is not more than ten, and (b) all these days are in the fixed time and fixed number of days of the woman's menses.
if total of 2 flows & the pause is ten or less + all these days are in
the fixed time =hayz .
In the following three cases also, the two flows of blood and the pause between themwill be counted ashayz :
i . If one of the flows started a day or two before the fixed time.
both flows and the pause =hayz .
ii. If both flows started outside the fixed time but both had the three signs of menstrual flow.
with 3 signs ‑hayz .
without 3 signs =istihazah .
iii. If one flow (which started outside the fixed time) had the three signs while the other flow started in the fixed time.
with 3 signs =hayz .
without 3 signs =istihazah .
But if one flow or both did not have the three signs of menstruation and none of themoccured in the fixed time, then the flow with the three signs is menstruation and without them isistihazah .
If the total days of both flows is more than ten and the pause between them is less than ten days, then the following procedure is tobe followed :
i . If one of the flows was in the fixed time without the other, the one within the fixed timewill be considered hayz and the other oneistihazah .
ii . In the case where none of the flows occurred in the fixed time, then
(a)if one had the three signs but not the other ‑ the one with the signs will behayz and the otheristihazah .
(b)if both flows had the three signs, then the first will be consideredhayz and the other will be consideredistihazah .
If the pause between the two flows of blood was ten days or more, then in the following two cases theywill be considered two separate menstruations:
i . if both flows had the three signs:
with 3 signs = two separatehayz .
without 3 signs = two separateistihazah .
ii.if one was in the fixed time, while the other had the three signs.
If these blood flowsoccured outside the fixed time and without the three signs, then bothwill be counted asistihazah .
If the blood stops before ten days and the woman is uncertain whether or not it has stopped completely, then she should examine herself by inserting a piece of cotton inside her vagina and leave it there for a while. Then she should take it out gently ‑ if the cotton comes out dry, she should consider herself pure and performghuslu 'I‑hayz (unless the pause during menstrual flow is normal in her case).
While examining oneself, it is better “to stand upright leaning on a wall, etc, and lift up one leg and then insert the cotton into the vagina.” 8
If such awoman (who is uncertain whether or not her period has stopped completely) does not examine herself and performsghuslu 'I‑hayz , then herghusl is valid only if the menstrual flow does not start again.
And if she is unable to examine herself, then she should consider herselfha'iz until she is sure of her purity.
But if the cotton comes out stained with blood, the rules differ slightly for the different categories ofha'iz :
If amubtadi'ah , amuztaribah and azatu 'l-adah who has her periods for 10 days examine themselves and find that the cotton is stained, then they should consider themselves asha’iz up to ten days or until the blood stops.
If a woman who has her periods regularly for less than ten days examines herself during her fixed numbers of days and finds the cotton stained, then she should consider herselfha'iz . If the same woman examines herself outside her fixed numbers of days and finds the cotton stained, she should consider herself asha'iz for up to ten days or until she finds herself pure.
If azatu 'l‑'adah woman of group (c) sees blood for more than ten days, then she should consider her fixed number of days as menstruation (even if it is without the three signs); and the remaining days should be considered asistihazah (even if it is with the three signs).
But if both flows can be counted as onehayz , then she should do so.For example, she saw her first flow according to her pattern for three days, then blood stopped for four days and started again (with the three signs) for three days (making a total of ten days) and then continued (without the three signs) afterwards ‑ then she would count the first flow + intervening pause + second flow of three days (with the signs) ashayz and the remaining period asistihazah .
first flow + pause + second flow with 3 signs = 1hayz .
later part of 2nd flow without 3 signs =istihazah .
7. The ForgetfulZatu 'L‑'Adah Women
1. If a woman who has her periods on fixed number of days but not on fixed time (group c) forgets the duration of her menses, then she has to act as follows:
She has the menstrual flow for three or more days,then all those days will be considered ashayz if they are not more than ten.
But if they are more than ten, then the number of days which she considers as the probable duration of her menses should be counted ashayz and the remaining days will be counted asistihazah .And if the “probable duration of her menses” is more than seven days, then she should act on precaution from the last probable day up to the tenth day.
2. A woman who has a fixed time for theoccurance of her periods (group b) forgets that fixed time:
If she has the menstrual flow for three or more days, then all those dayswill be considered ashayz if they are not more than ten.
In the case the days are more than ten, and if she knows on the whole that the bleeding has coincided with her fixed time ‑ then she should act on precaution for the whole period of the flow even if the blood does not have the three signs of menses.
But if she does not know even generally that the bleeding has coincided with her fixed time, then there are two possibilities:
i . The blood flow had the three signs for some days and did not have the three signs for some other days ‑ then the days with the three signs will be considered ashayz if they are not more than ten, and the other days will be considered asistihazah .
ii. The blood had the three signs during the entire flow or for more than ten days, then six or seven daysshould be considered ashayz and the remaining asistihazah . In thiscase it isprecautionarily better for her to act on precaution up to the tenth day.
3. A woman who has a fixed time for theoccurance of her periods and a fixed number of days for its duration (group a) forgets her fixed time or fixed number of days or both, then there are a few possibilities:
(a) She forgot the fixed time but remembers the fixed number of days: If she has the menstrual flow for three or more days, then all those days will be consideredhayz if they are not more than ten.
In case the bleeding continues for more than ten, and she knows on the whole that the bleeding has coincided with the fixed time ‑ then she should act on precaution for the whole period of the flow even if the blood does not have the three signs of menses.
But if she does not know even generally that the bleeding has coincided with the fixed time, then she should consider the fixed number of days (which she remembers) as menstruation and the remaining days asistihazah .
(b) She forgot her fixed number of days but remembers the fixed time ofoccurance : The blood she sees at the fixed time ‑with or without the threesignswill be considered menstruation if it is not for more than ten days. If it comes for more than ten days, then she should consider the probable number of days from the fixed time as menstruation and the remaining days asistihazah .And in this case if the probable number of days is more than seven, then she should act on precaution up to the tenth day.
(c) She forgot both the fixed time and the fixed number of days of her monthly periods:
i . if the blood has three signs and it came for not less than three and not more than ten days, then all of it will be regarded ashayz . If it exceeds ten days, then the days she considers as the probable days of her monthly periodwill be considered ashayz and the remaining days asistihazah .Again in this case if the probable period is more than seven, then it is better for her to act on precaution up to the tenth day.
ii.if the blood is with the three signs for some days but without them for some other days ‑the former will be menstruation and the latteristihazah . Of course, if both these flows are not more than ten days, then it is better for her to act on precaution on the days when the blood is without the three signs.
iii. If the blood comes for ten days or more than ten days and the woman knows on the whole that the bleeding has coincided with her fixed time and number of days, then she should act on precaution for the entire period ‑ even if the blood did not have the three signs.
8. TheMuztaribah
If amuztaribah sees blood with thethree signs for more than three and less than ten days, then it is menstruation.
But if amuztaribah sees blood for more than ten days, then there are a fewpossibilites :
1. The blood had the three signs during the entire flow, then she should consider six or seven days as menstruation and the remaining days asistihazah .
2. The blood had the three signs during the entire flow but with a difference in intensity ofcolour , that is, some days it had blackcolour and some other days it had dark redcolour . In this case the flow with blackcolour will be considered menstruation and the other will be consideredistihazah ‑ if such darkcolour was not less than three and not more than ten days.
3. The blood was with the three signs for some days (but not less than three and not more than ten days) and without the signs for some other days, then the flow with the three signs is menstruation and without them isistihazah .
4. If the entire flow was without the three signs or the flow with the three signs was less than three days, then the entire flowwill be considered istihazah .
9. The Things Forbidden ToThe Ha'iz
I have already mentioned that menstruationis neither a “curse on the women” nor is it related to the so‑called original sin of Eve.
Menstruation is the flow of blood; and blood, according to theshari'ah , is anajis (unclean) substance and so menstruationis also considerednajis .But the impurity of menstruation in no way prevents a woman from living a normal life with her family and friends.
A person asked Imamja'far as‑Sadiq (peace be upon him) about a woman who gives water to a man while she is in her monthly period. The Imam said, “One of the wives of the Prophet (upon whom be peace) was pouring water on him and serving him drink while she was in her monthly period.” In another tradition, Imam Muhammad al‑Baqir (peace be upon him) narrates that the Prophet (upon whom be peace) said to one of his wives, “Serve me a drink.” She said, “I am in my monthly period.” The Prophet said, “Is your menstruation in your hand?!” 9 These two narrations are sufficient to show that the impurity of menstruation does not prevent a woman from living a normal life with her family and friends.
***
On the other hand, there are certain acts of worship, etc., in Islam which are so sacred that a Muslim, whetherman or woman, cannot perform them unless he or she has certain qualifications. It is only in relation to these acts that thewomen who are in menstruation, just as thejunub men, are forbidden from performing them. Those acts are as follows:
1. Touching the writings of the Qur'an, the names and attributes of Allah, the names of the Prophet, theImams and Fatimah (the daughter of the Prophet). It is better not to touch names of other prophets too.
2. Reciting those verses of the Qur'an in whichsajdah (prostration) iswajib , i.e., verse 15 of chapter 32; verse 37 of chapter 41; verse 62 of chapter 53; and verse 19 of chapter 96. It is better not to recite even a single verse from these chapters.
3. Staying or even entering in a mosque. One can pass through the mosques10 (by entering from one door and leaving from the other) except theMasjidu l‑Haram (the Sacred Mosque at Mecca),Masjidu 'n‑Nabi (the Mosque of the Prophet at Medina), and the shrines of the Imams ‑ aha'iz woman cannot even pass through these places.
As she is not allowed to enter any mosque, naturally she cannot do circumambulation (tawaf ) ofKa'bah , nor can she observe i'tikaf.11
4. Putting something in a mosque ‑ even if she is standing outside.But she may take out something from it ‑ provided she does not enter it.
5. A woman who is in her periodsis excused fromsalat (prayers) because she does not have an important qualification forsalat , i.e.,taharat (cleanliness). She does not even have to perform them later on asqaza . Imam 'AliRaza (peacebe upon him) said, “When a woman has her monthly period, she does not ...pray because she is in the state of impurity (of blood), and Allah likes to be worshipped only by a pure (tahir ) person...”12
6. Likewise aha'iz woman is excused from fasting; but in this case, she has to fast after the month ofRamadhdn asqaza . In his answer to AbuBasir's question, ImamJa'far as‑Sadiq said, “Fasting is just for a month in a year whilesalat is every day and night. That is why Allah ordered that the fasts (missed by aha'iz in Ramadan)be repaid asqaza , while He did not order to performqaza of thesalats (missed duringhayz ).“13
It ismustahab for aha’iz to change her sanitary napkin at the time of every prayer, to dowudu ', to sit on hermusalla facing theqiblah and to recitedu'as ; it is better to recitetasbihat arba'ah . (Tasbihat arba'ah are as follows:subhan Allahi ;wa 'I‑hamdu li 'I‑lahi ;wa lailaha illa 'lahu ;wa 'la‑lahu akbar .)
It ismakruh for aha’iz to recite, to keep, tocarry or to touch the border of the pages of the Qur'an, or the blank space between the lines.
At the end of thischapter I would like to present the following verses from the Bible so that the reader may appreciate the laws of theshari'ah . The Bible, in the Book of Leviticus, says,
“When a woman has a discharge, her discharge being blood from her body, she shall remain in her impurity for seven days; whoever touches her shall be unclean until evening. Anything that she lies on during her impurity shall be unclean; and anything that she sits on shall be unclean. Anyone who touches her bedding shall wash his clothes, bathe in water, and remain unclean until evening; and anyone who touches any object on which she has sat shall wash his clothes, bathe in water, and remain unclean until evening. Be it the bedding or be it the object on which she has sat, on touching it he shall be unclean until evening.And if a man lies with her, her impurity is communicated to him; he shall be unclean seven days, and any bedding on which he lies shall become unclean.
“When she becomes clean of her discharge, she shall count off seven days, and after that she shall be clean. On the eighthday she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons, and bring them to the priest at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. The priest shall offer the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering; and the priest shall make expiation on her behalf, for her unclean discharge, before the Lord.” (Lev. 15:19‑30)
Now surely you will appreciate the words of Allah which say, Allah does not desire to make any impediment for you; He only desires to purify you, and that He may complete His blessings upon you; haply you will be thankful (to Him). (Qur'an 5:6)
10. SexDuring Menstruation
By considering the discomfort of the women during the monthly periods, Islam has forbidden both the husband and the wife from sexual intercourse during the menstruation.
The Qur'an says,They ask you about menstruation. (O Muhammad) tell (them that) menstruation is a discomfort (for the women, it is a period when they pass through physical and emotional tension. Therefore,) do not establish sexual relations with them during the menses, and (again you are reminded that) do not approach them (sexually) until the blood stops. Then when they have cleansed themselves, you (are permitted to) go into them as Allah has commanded you (by placing sexual urge in your nature). (2:222)
Of course, playing with the other parts of her body (other than the vagina and anus)is allowed . Again, it isprecautionarily better not to play with her body between the navel and knees.
If a man who is engaged in sexual intercourse with his wife discovers that her period hasbegan , then he should immediately withdraw himself from her.
It is clear from the verse mentioned above (until the blood stops) that once the blood has stopped, intercourse becomes lawful even if the woman has not performedghuslu 'l‑hayz .But on the basis of the subsequent sentence (then when they have cleansed themselves...), most of thefuqaha ' (Islamic jurists) have ruled that it isprecautionarily better to refrain from intercourse until she performsghusl or, at least, washes her private parts.
'Ali binYaqtin asked Imam Musa al‑Kazim (peace be upon him) about a man having intercourse with his wife whose period has stopped but she has still not performed theghusl . The Imam said, “There is no harm in it; but (intercourse) after theghusl is more preferable to me.` 14
11. TheSalat Before & AfterThe Menses
Whenever amubtadi'ah , amuztaribah or a forgetfulzatu 'l‑'adah woman sees blood, she should stop hersalat ‑ of course, if she discovers later on that it was nothayz (e.g., the blood stopped on the second day), then she should performqaza of thesalat which she had missed.
If the time for a particularsalat has already begun and a woman fears that by delaying thesalat her period may start, then it iswajib on her to perform thatsalat immediately.
If the time for a particularsalat has already begun and the woman did not pray until her period started, then she has to perform thatsalat asqaza after the menstruation stops and she becomes clean.
If a woman's period starts while she is engaged insalat , her prayer will be invalid.
If a woman who is engagedin salat doubts whether or not her period has started, her doubt will have no effect on thesalat unless she discovers later on that her period had actually begun.
If a woman becomes pure from menstruation and has enough time to performghuslu 'I‑hayz and pray, at least, onerak'at in time ‑ then it iswajib on her to do so. In case she does not pray, then it will bewdjib on her to perform itsqaza .
For example, the time of 'asr prayer was ending at 5:00 p.m. and a woman became pure from her period at 4:00 p.m. In this case, she has enough time to performghuslu 'l‑hayz and praysalat of 'asr . If she does not do so, then it will bewajib for her to performsalat of `asr asqaza .
If a woman becomes pure from menstruation while she does not have enough time to performghusl and pray at least onerak'at in time ‑ then it isprecautionarily obligatory for her to performtayammum instead ofghusl , and pray.But in this case if she does not do so, then it is notwajib for her to perform thatsalat asqaza .
12.Ghusl U'l‑Hayz
When a woman becomes pure from menstruation, it iswdjib for her to performghusl . Apart from sexual intercourse, all the acts forbidden to her will remain so until she performsghusl u'I‑hayz .
The manner of performingghuslu 'l‑hayz is same as the method explained inWudu ' &Ghusl . For convenience of the reader, the manner of performingghusl is also given here.
There are two methods of performingghusl :Ghusl tartibi andghusl irtimasi .
1.Ghusl Tartibi : After removing thenajasat from the body and afterniyyat , the body has tobe washed in three stages: First, the head and the neck; then the right side of the body from the shoulders to the foot; and lastly, the left side of the body.
2.Ghusl Irtimasi : In this type ofghusl , afterniyyat , the whole bodyshould be completely immersed in water at once, not gradually. One has to make sure that all the parts of his body, including the skin under the hair,has been washed.
However,ghusl tartibi is preferred toghusl irtimasi .
For other details about the manner of performingghusl , see pp. 16‑20 ofWudu ' &Ghusl .
Notes
1. To make thepronounciation easier for the readers, I have departed from the standard transliteration method of writing as d;instead I have used z. For example, instead ofhaid andhayd ,I have writtenha'iz andhayz respectively.
2. Nine years according to the Islamic (lunar) calendar would be eight years and nine months according to the Gregorian (solar) calendar.
3.al ‑'Amili ,Shaykh Muhammad binHasan al‑Hurr ,Wasa'ilu 'sh‑Shi'ah , (kitabu 't‑Taharah ), (ed. 'Abdu 'r‑Ralum ash‑ShirdA ) vol. 2, Tehran 1401 AH, p. 580.
4. Ibid, p. 537.
5. Ibid, p. 551.
6. Ibid, p. 554.
7. As explained by Imam Musa al‑Kazim (peacebe upon him) toKhalaf binHammad al‑Kufi .See al‑'Amili , op. cit., vol. 2, p. 535.
8. As explained by imam as‑Sadiq .See al‑'Amili , op. cit., vol. 2, p. 562.
9.al ‑'Amili , op. cit., vol. 2, p. 595.
10. It is necessary to clarify that mosque, i.e.,masjid , is different from the religiouscentres built by theShi'ahs in the memory of ImamHusayn (peace be upon him) whichare usually known asHusayniyyah ,Imambargah orImambara .
11.I'tikaf means to fast and stay in a mosque for at least three days with the intention of worshipping Allah.
12. Ibid, p. 586.
13. Ibid, p. 591.
14. Ibid, p. 573.
Istihazah - The Irregular Bleeding
1. DefinitionOf Istihazah
You have come across the wordistihazah many times in the first part of this book. In thispart we shall exclusively discuss aboutistihazah .
Istahadah is usually translated as “irregular menstruation”. But this translation is incorrect, because it may create a confusion withmuztaribah = “a woman whose menstrual pattern is irregular”; and also becauseistihazah is not menstruation at all. In Islamicterminology istihazah means any blood discharged from women which is not from menstruation, loss of virginity, postnatal bleeding or internal injury. The woman who hasistihazah is known asmustahazah .
The signs:Istihazah usually has the following four signs:
1.it is cool,
2.yellow incolour ,
3.thin in substance, and
4.it is discharged without pressure or burning sensation.
All these signs are opposite the signs of menstruation.
Although these are thesigns which usually appear inistihazah , sometimes it is quite possible for it to appear without some or all of them.
Unlikehayz , there is no minimum or maximum limit for the discharge ofistihazah . Neither is there any specific time in a woman's life‑time during which it appears ‑it can come before a girl becomes nine years old and after a woman has entered the age of menopause. Nor is there a minimum duration between theoccurance of twoistihazah .
2. Three TypesOf Istihazah
By considering the amount of blood inistihazah , it is divided into three categories:Qalilah ,Mutawassitah andKathirah .
1.Qalilah = Slight Bleeding: Thedischarge which stains the cotton but does not penetrate into it.
2.Mutawassitah = Medium Bleeding: Thedischarge which penetrates into the cotton but does not flow out from it.
3.Kathirah = Profuse Bleeding: Thedischarge which penetrates into the cotton and flows out from it.
Inistihazah it is possible for the discharge to change from one level to another; for example, in the beginning it wasqalfiah and then it becamekathirah , or vice verse.
It is obvious that if amustahazah woman wants to follow the rules ofistihazah , she must examine herself to determine whether she isqallah ,mutawassitah orkathirah .
3. The PrayersOf TheMustahazah
Istihazah is anajasat (impurity) which is different fromhayz . The woman inistihazah is not exempted from prayers. She has to pray, but the validity of her prayers depends on fulfilling theacts which are required of her.
In thischapter we shall explain the rules which amustahazah has to observe daily for hersalats .
TheQalilah :
A woman withistihazah qalilah has to change the sanitary napkin or towel and performwudu ' foreach and every salat whether it iswajib ormustahab .
In this and the subsequent cases, if the sanitary napkin has not becomenajis , then it is not necessary to change it.
TheMutawassitah :
A woman withistihazah mutawassitah has to change the sanitary napkin, performwudu ' for everysalat and perform in addition aghusl before the dawn prayer.
If the medium bleeding ofistihazah starts after the dawn prayer, then on that day it iswajib on themustahazah to perform aghusl before the noon prayer.And if it starts after the noon and afternoon prayers, then it iswajib on her to do theghusl before the evening prayer.
If the medium bleeding ofistihazah starts after noon prayer (and before afternoon prayer) or after evening prayer (and before night prayer), then it iswajib on her to perform theghusl before afternoon or night prayer.
In the same way, if a woman seesistihazah mutawassitah before the dawn prayer and does not performghusl , then she has to doghusl before noon prayer and repeat her dawn prayer after theghusl .
TheKathirah :
Akathirah has to change the sanitary napkin before everysalat and perform threeghusls ‑ the first before dawn prayer, second before noon and afternoon prayers, and the third before evening and night prayers. It is notwajib for a woman withistihazah kathirah to performwudu ' for everysalat as theghusl is sufficient.
If a woman seesistihazah kathirah after the dawn prayer, then on that day she has to do twoghusls ‑one before noon prayer and the other before evening prayer.
If she seesistihazah kathirah after afternoon prayer, then on that day she will have to do oneghusl only before the evening prayer.
If she seesistihazah kathtrah between noon and afternoon prayers or between evening and night prayers, then on thatday she has to perform theghusl before afternoon or night prayers.
Themustahazah kathirah should combine the noon and afternoon prayers after the secondghusl ,and also the evening and night prayers after the thirdghusl . It means that if a woman performsghusl before noon prayer and does not combine the recitation of noon and afternoon prayers, then she will have to do a separateghusl for afternoon prayer also. The same rule applies if she recites the evening and night prayers separately.
4. Some General Rules
It iswajib on themustahazah to perform the prayer or prayers immediately after thewudu orghusl . Of course, sheis permitted to perform themustahab acts before, or during, the prayer.
On the other hand, if theistihazah has stopped completely and the woman has already performed what was required of her, then it is notwajib for her to perform her prayers immediately after thewudu orghusl .
It is alsowajib on themustahazah to prevent the blood from coming out of the vagina during the prayer by placing a sanitary napkin over it. If she does not take necessary precaution in this matter and the blood comes out of vagina during the prayer, then she will have to repeat her prayer. In thiscase of negligence, if she has medium or profuseistihazah , then it isprecautionarily wajib on her even to repeat theghusl orghusls .
If theistihazah stops completely before the woman has performed thewudu orghusl which was required of her, then what is her duty in regard to those acts?
It iswajib for her to perform theacts which were required of her before she became pure. Likewise, if the blood stops during thewudu orghusl orsalat , it iswajib on her to perform thewudu orghusl or the prayer again. Even if the blood stops after she has performed her prayers but there still is enough time to dowudu orghusl and pray, then it iswajib for the woman to perform those acts again.
If amustahazah knows that the bleeding will stop at a time when she will have enough time to perform herwudu orghusl and pray (without making themqaza ), then it iswajib for her to delay her prayers until she becomes pure. For example, the time of noon and afternoon prayers ends at 5:00 p.m. and the woman has a feeling that her blood will stop before 3:00 or 4:00 p.m. In thiscase she should delay her noon and afternoon prayers, and perform thewudu orghusl and pray after she has become pure.
On the other hand, if heristihazah started after the time of prayers while she had not yet prayed, then she will have to pray thatsalat after performing thewudu orghusl which is required of her. For example, the time of noon prayer commenced at 12:30 p.m. and heristihazah started at 3:00 p.m. In thiscase she had had enough time from the commencement of noon prayer's time to perform her prayers normally. If she did not do so, then she will have to follow the rules ofistihazah to perform that prayer.
If the discharge changes from one level to the other, then what should amustahazah do?
If it changes from a lower level to a higher level (e.g., from slight to medium bleeding, or from medium to profuse bleeding), then there are two possibilities:
1. The changeoccured before performing the acts required of her, then she should perform those acts according to the rules of thehigher level istihazah , and there is no need to repeat the previous acts of worship.
2. The changeoccured while she was performing the acts which were required of her, then she has to start those acts all over again according to the rules of thehigher level istihazah . This law applies even if the change occurs during prayers.
If it changes from a higher level to a lower level (e.g., from profuse to medium bleeding, or from medium to slight bleeding), then themustahazah will have to follow the rules of thehigher level istihazah for the first prayer and then follow the rules of the lower levelistihazah for the subsequent prayers. For example, amustahazah kathirah becomesmustahazah qalilah before noon, then she will have to perform aghusl and then pray noon and afternoon prayer (according to the rules ofkathirah ) but for evening and night prayers she just has to perform separatewudu's (according to the rules ofqalfiah ).
5. How TheMustahazah Should Fast?
Themustahazah has to pray and fast like every other woman. The only difference is that her acts of worship will not be valid unless she observes the rules mentioned above.
In case of the women with mediumistihazah , the validity of their fasts is dependent upon theghusl which they are required to perform before the dawn prayer. (This ruleis based onihtiyat mustahab‑precautionarily recommendation.)
The validity of the fasts of the women with profuseistihazah depends on theghusls which they are required to perform during the entire day.
6. Is Anything Forbidden To TheMustahazah ?
Among the acts forbidden to theha'iz andjunub , only oneis forbidden formustahazah : She is not permitted to touch the writings of the Qur'an beforewudu andghusl . Rather even after thewudu andghusl , it isprecautionarily wajib on her to refrain from touching the writings of the Qur'an.
Of course, there is no harm if amustahazah woman enters and stays inside a mosque or reads those parts of theQur'an which havewajib sajdahs .
There is no restriction, whatsoever, on sexual intercourse for amustahazah with slight bleeding. As far as themustahazah with medium and profuse bleeding are concerned, sexual intercourse is lawful only if they have performed theghusl orghusls which are required of them. (This ruleis based onprecautionarily recommendation.)
Defnition Of Nifas - Post Natal Bleeding
1. DefinitionOf Nifas
Nifas literally means “childbed, childbirth, parturition.” In the Islamic legal terminology, it means “the blood which is discharged from a woman's womb during or after the childbirth.” The blood discharged during the travailis not regarded asnifas .
In the presentcontext the wordnifas is usually translated as “post‑natal bleeding.” The woman who hasnifas is known asnafsa '.
Theblood which is discharged from a woman's womb after a miscarriage is alsonifas .
There is no minimum duration fornifas . Even if only a drop of bloodis discharged during or after childbirth, it will be regarded asnifas .
As far as the period ofoccurance is concerned, anyblood which is discharged within ten days of childbirth isnifas . So if a woman who saw no blood during or after the childbirth sees blood nine days later, that bloodwill still be regarded asnifas .
The maximum duration ofnifas is ten days from the time of completion of childbirth or from the commencement of the bleeding.So if a woman sees blood at childbirth and it continues for ten days, all those days will benifas .On the other hand, if a woman sees blood on the seventh day after the childbirth and it continues for ten days, then up to the end of the tenth day from the childbirth she will consider herself innifas ; and for the remaining period (i.e., up to 17th day from the childbirth) she will act on precaution ‑ avoiding all things forbidden to anafsa ', and doing all that is required of amustahadah .
When it is said “from the time of childbirth”, it means after the “complete” delivery of the child.
There is no minimum duration between twonifas . For example, a woman who gave birth to twins who were born at five days interval, sees blood for 5 days after the first child and then it stops, and again she sees blood after the second child's birth ‑ then the two bleedings will be counted as two separatenifas .
2. Three Types OfNafsa '
1. A woman whose post‑natal bleeding does not exceed ten days. In such acase all the days of bleeding will be considerednifas .
2. A woman whose post‑natal bleeding exceeds ten days and, as far as her menstrual cycles are concerned, she is azatu 'l‑'adah with a fixed number of days. In thiscase the days equal to the duration of her menstruation will be regarded asnifas and the remaining days asistihazah .
3. A woman whose post‑natal bleeding exceeds ten days and she is not azatu 'l‑'adah . In thiscase she should look at the duration of her relatives' menstruation and then consider the same number of days as hernifas . If the duration of her relatives' menses is less than ten, then (a) she should count those days asnifas and(b) after that she should act on precaution up to the tenth day.
3. Some General Rules
Anafsa ’ sees blood on the first day of thechildbirth and then it stops and then again it starts on or before the tenth day. In thiscase there are twopossibilites :
(a) The second bleeding does not exceed the tenth day from the commencement of the first flow‑both the flows and the pause between themwill be regarded as onenifas . Of course, it isprecautionarily better to act on precaution during the pause.
(b) The second bleeding exceeds the tenth day from the commencement of the first flow. This again has four possibilities:‑
i . The woman has a fixed number of days for her menstrual cycles, and the second flow took place within the fixed number: For example, her menses usually continues for seven days; now she saw blood ofnifas for two days from the childbirth, then it stopped, and re‑started again on the sixth day and continued exceeding the tenth day. Then the first flow, the pause and the second bleeding within the fixed number (i.e ,upto the seventh day after childbirth), will be regarded as onenifas and the remaining days will beistihazah .
ii. The woman has a fixed duration for her menstrual cycles, but the second flow did not take place during the fixed duration ‑ then the first flow will benifas , the pause will be regarded as a period of purity and the second flow will be regarded asistihazah .
iii. The woman does not have a fixed pattern for her menstrual cycles, and the second flow started during the fixed duration of her relatives' monthly periods ‑ then the days equal to the duration of her relatives' monthly periods will benifas and the remainingistihazah . Of course, if the duration of her relatives' periods is less than ten days then she should act on precaution after the last day up to the tenth day.
iv. The woman does not have a fixed pattern for her menstrual cycles, and the second flow started after the fixed duration of her relatives' monthly periods ‑ then the first flow will benifas ; and during the pause and the second flow she should act on precaution up to the tenth day.
When thenifas stops but thenafsa ’ is uncertain whether or not it has stopped completely,then she should examine herself just as ahayz was required to do in similar circumstances. (See page 13 for details.)
4. Pre‑Natal Bleeding
As mentioned in part one, it is possible for a pregnant woman to have menstruation.
Salman al‑Farsi asked Imam 'Ali (peace be upon him) about the sustenance of a child in its mother's womb. The Imam said, “Allah,subhanahu wa ta'ala , preserves the (blood of) menstruation for him and makes it into his sustenance in his mother's womb.”Sulayman binKhdlid asked ImamJa'far as‑Sadiq that, “Does a pregnant woman have her monthly period sometimes?” The Imam said, “Yes; and that is because the food of a child in the womb of its mother is the blood. Sometimes the blood is in abundance and is in excess (to his need); and when it is in excess, it is shed out; and when it is shed out (she is regarded as aha’iz and) she is not allowed to performsalat . “1
In thischapter we shall discuss the nature of the blood seen during pregnancy.
If a pregnant woman sees blood and she is sure that it is the menstrual flow, then she should consider it as menstruation.
But if she does not know whether it ishayz oristihazah , then there may be threepossibilites :‑
(1) The discharge has the three signs ofhayz and it came during oraroung the fixed number of days, then she should consider it ashayz .
(2) The discharge does not have the three signs nor did it come during or around the fixed number of days, then she should consider it asistihazah .
(3) The discharge has the three, signs but it did not come during or around the fixed number of days or vice verse, then she should act on precaution.
If a pregnant woman sees blood just a few days before the childbirth, then there are four possibilities:
(1) The bleeding continues up to thechild birth and she knows that it is menstruation and it has the three signs, then it will be regarded as menstruation.
(2) The bleeding continues up to the childbirth but she does not know that it is menstruation ‑ then if it has the three signs or itoccured during the fixed time of her menses, it ishayz ; otherwise it will be considered asistihazah .
(3) The bleeding stopped ten days before the childbirth ‑ then if it has the three signs, it will be regarded as menstruation; otherwise it isistihazah .
(4) The bleeding stopped during the ten days prior to the childbirth ‑ then if it has the three signs or itoccured during the fixed time, it will be regarded as menstruation; otherwise it will be considered asistihazah .
5. The Things Forbidden ToThe Nafsa '
The things which werefobidden to thehayz are also forbidden to thenafsa '.
Sheis forbidden from touching the Qur'an. Staying in a mosque or putting something in itis not allowed to her; passing through a mosque is only allowed if she enters from one door and without stopping goes out of another.But she cannot even pass through the Sacred Mosque of Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque at Medina. She cannot recite the verses ofsajdah .And sexual intercourse with her is forbidden.
Sheis also excused fromsalat . Like ahayz , she is not even required to perform them asqaza . She is also exempted from fasting, but in thiscase she has to fast afterwards asqaza .
6.Ghusl U'n‑Nifas
When a woman becomes pure fromnifas , it iswajib for her to performghusl . Apart from sexual intercourse, all the acts forbidden to her will remain so until she performsghuslu 'n‑nifas .
The manner of performingghuslu 'n‑nifas is same as explained in part one of this book.
Note
1.al ‑'Amili , op. cit., vol. 2, p. 579
Glossary
Wajib ‑ obligatory, necessary, incumbent. Anact which must be performed. Youwill be rewarded for performing it and punished for neglecting it, e.g., the daily prayers, the fasting ofRamadhan .
Ihtiyat wajib ‑precuationarily obligatory. Its significance is the same as that ofwajib with the difference that in the rules where amujtahid says it is “precautionarily obligatory”, you have the option of leaving histaqlid (following) in that particular problem, and following the rulings of the second‑bestmujtahid in that problem.
Mustabab ,Sunnat ‑ recommendable, desirable, better. The acts whose neglect is not punished, but whose performance is rewarded, e.g., the call of prayer (adhan ).
Ihtiyat mustabab ‑precautionarily recommended. Its significance is the same as that ofmustahab . When amujtahid uses this term, he means that there is no solid proof for that particular act beingmustahab , but his standards of precaution demand that itbe considered asmustahab .
Ja'iz ,Halal ,Mubah ‑ permitted, allowed, lawful, legal. The act or thething which is permitted and lawful. There is no reward for performing it and no punishment for neglecting it, e.g., drinking tea.Mubdh is mostly used for lawful things, not for permitted actions.
Makruh ‑ reprehensible, disliked. The acts whose performance is not punished, but whose avoidance is rewarded, e.g., eating in the state ofjanabat .
Haram ‑ forbidden, prohibited. It is necessary to abstain from theacts which areharam . If someone performs aharam act, he will be punished, e.g., eating pork.
Junub ‑ a man or a woman who has becomenajis (impure) because of sexual intercourse or, in the former's case, because of discharge of semen.
Sajdah ‑ prostration.
Qaza ‑ performing an act ofworship which was missed during its proper time.
Musalla ‑ place or mattress of prayers.
Rak'at ‑ a bending of torso from an upright position in prayers.
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