Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Asalamoeliqum

I have couple of questions to ask you...since these are personal, I do hesitate asking my mom about these topics.

1) My Mestural period lasts sometimes more then 7 days...I`ve heard from someone, that after 7 days of your period, u have to pray, even if you have spotting or not. IS this True?

2) I know to be clean and be able to pray again, we have to take a shower...my question is i can not wet my hair more then twice in a week (because they really mess up then). but after intercourse, can i be pak, by just putting lil water over my head?

3) When ever i pray..i always have stupid thoughts going all around my head...and few of thoughts also tells me that I am not praying right, and that Allah will not listen to my prayers...because of this feeling inside me, i do hestiate to pray..i dont know how to stop these thoughts from coming. I try my best to concentrate but it never works. please help...

Thanks

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Answer:

Prolonged blood flow

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Q-1: My Mestural period lasts sometimes more then 7 days...I`ve heard from someone, that after 7 days of your period, u have to pray, even if you have spotting or not. IS this True?

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 1.72

Topic: Women with Prolonged Flows of Blood

Shariah defines such an occurrence as the flowing of blood outside of the regular time. This usually happens in two specific cases. In the first case, the woman knows that her flow of menstrual blood is lasting longer than usual. In such a case, she will act according to her customary period, and the remainder will be considered days of prolonged blood flows. This is based on the hadith of Umm Salamah, in which she asked the Messenger of Allah (saws) about this condition. He (saws) said, "She should wait for the days and nights of her normal period and figure them out of the month, and she should leave the prayer during those days. (Afterwards) she should perform ghusl, tighten something around her vagina and then pray." (Related by Bukhari and Muslim)

Al-Khattabi holds, "That regulation is for the woman who is experiencing prolonged blood flows. If the blood is flowing, the Prophet (saws) ordered her to leave the prayer during her regular period, and to perform ghusl after her customary time has passed. Then, she becomes just like any other purified person."

In the second case, a woman has a regular period, but she is able to distinguish the blood. She should, therefore, behave according to the type of blood she sees. Fatimah bint Abu Hubaish had a prolonged flow of blood, and the Prophet (saws) told her, "If it is menstrual blood, it is dark and recognizable. If you have that, abstain from the prayer. If it is other than that, make ablution and pray, for it is a vein."

If a believing woman is experiencing ‘spotting’ or prolonged blood flow after her customary days of menstruation have elapsed, she should perform the ‘ghusl’ or full bath of purification, tighten a pad or cloth around her private parts, and make herself available for prayer. After her ‘ghusl’, she will be considered pure from her ceremonial impurity of menstration, and all the restrictions which lay upon her due to her menstruation would now be deemed lifted.

Q-2: I know to be clean and be able to pray again, we have to take a shower...my question is i can not wet my hair more then twice in a week (because they really mess up then). but after intercourse, can i be pak, by just putting lil water over my head?

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 6:

6 O ye who believe! When ye prepare for prayer wash your faces and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles. If ye are in a state of ceremonial impurity (sexual intercourse), bathe your whole body.

Dear and beloved Sister in Islam, if one is in the state of ceremonial impurity due to ‘janaba’ (sexual intercourse), it is absolutely obligatory that one needs to perform a full bath or ‘ghusl’ before they can make themselves available for prayer; and it is an absolutely obligatory condition of ‘ghusl’ that water must reach every single part of one’s body making sure that absolutely no part is left dry, including one’s hair.

Sprinkling some water over one’s head would not suffice for one to become purified from their state of ceremonial impurity like janaba (sexual intercourse), menstruation, etc.

Q-3: When ever i pray..i always have stupid thoughts going all around my head...and few of thoughts also tells me that I am not praying right, and that Allah will not listen to my prayers...because of this feeling inside me, i do hestiate to pray..i dont know how to stop these thoughts from coming. I try my best to concentrate but it never works. please help...

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 208:

208 O ye who believe! Enter into Islam whole-heartedly; and follow not the footsteps of The Shaytaan; for he is to you an avowed enemy.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anaam verse 142:

142 Eat what Allah hath provided for you and follow not the footsteps of The Shaytaan: for he is to you an avowed enemy.

Dear and beloved sister in Islam, know and believe with total and absolute conviction that nothing, and I repeat absolutely nothing, is more hated, detested, and abhorred by the Shaytaan than to witness a slave-servant who has believed bowing down to the Supreme and Majestic Lord in prostration!

Sahih Muslim Hadith 5404 (part) Narrated by Anas ibn Malik

…. Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘Verily the Shaytaan circulates in the body of man like blood circulates in it!!’

Allah is our witness sister, the accursed and avowed enemy of Allah Subhanah and of the believers, the Shaytaan, will leave absolutely no stone unturned in his untiring efforts to deceive a believer and seduce him to move away from the obedience and worship of the Lord Most Gracious, Most High.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verses 16-18:

16 He (the Shaytaan) said: "because Thou (O Allah) hast thrown me out of the way, lo! I will lie in wait for them (the believers) on Thy Straight Way.

17 Then will I assault them from before them, and behind them, from their right, and their left: nor wilt Thou find in most of them gratitude!”

18 (Allah) said: "Get out from this disgraced and expelled! If any of them follow thee, Hell will I fill with you all.”

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Israa verses 62-65:

62 He (Shaytaan) said "Seest Thou? This is the one (Adam) whom thou hast honored above me! If Thou wilt but respite me to the Day of Judgment I will surely bring his descendants under my sway all but a few!"

63 Allah said: "Go thy way; if any of them follow thee verily Hell will be the recompense of you (all); an ample recompense.

64 "Lead to destruction those whom thou canst among them with thy (seductive) voice; make assaults on them with thy cavalry and thy infantry; mutually share with them wealth and children; and make promises to them. But Shaytaan promises them nothing but deceit!

65 As for My servants no authority shalt thou have over them." Enough is thy Lord for a Disposer of affairs.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 16 Surah Nahl verse 98-100:

98 When thou dost read the Qur'an seek Allah's protection from Shaytaan, the rejected one.

99 No authority has he over those who believe and put their trust in their Lord.

100 His authority is over those only who take him as patron and who join partners with Allah.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 15 Surah Hijr verses 42-44:

42 (Allah tells the Shaytaan): "For over My servants no authority shalt thou have, except such as put themselves in the wrong and follow thee."

43 And verily Hell is the promised abode for them all!

44 To it are seven Gates: for each of those Gates is (special) class (of sinners assigned).

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 14 Surah Ibraheem verse 22:

22 And Shaytaan will say when the matter is decided (on the Day of Judgment): "It was Allah Who gave you a promise of Truth: I too promised but I failed in my promise to you. I had no authority over you except to call you but ye listened to me: then reproach not me but reproach your own souls. I cannot listen to your cries nor can ye listen to mine. I reject your former act in associating me with Allah. For wrongdoers there must be a Grievous Penalty."

Dear and beloved sister in Islam, recognize the Shaytaan, recognize his enmity towards the believers, recognize his mission, recognize his deceit, his ploys, his false promises, his tactics, his invitations at all times to despair of the Mercy and Grace of the Lord Most Merciful……so that the next time he whispers into your heart and makes you doubt your prayers, immediately turn to your Lord Most Gracious, seek protection in Him by declaring ‘Aoo-dobillahe-minas-Shaytaan ar-rajeem’ (I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shayteen)…..it is expected that your Lord will protect you from the Shaytaan’s evil designs.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verses 200-201:

200 If a suggestion from the Shaytaan assail thy (mind), seek refuge with Allah; for He Heareth and Knoweth (all things).

201 Those who fear Allah, when a thought of evil from the Shaytaan assaults them, (immediately) bring Allah to remembrance, when lo! They see (aright)!

Dear and beloved sister in Islam, know and believe with total and absolutely conviction that not even an atom of good that you do with the intention to seek the Pleasure and Good Will of your Lord will ever ever ever go unrewarded in the Presence of your Lord Most Gracious, Most Benevolent; thus let no one, least of all the evil and accursed enemy of man, Shaytaan the Liar, tell you otherwise!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 21 Surah Anbiyaa verse 47:

47 We shall set up scales of justice for the Day of Judgment so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least. And if there be (no more than) the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it (to account): and enough are We to take account.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 31 Surah Luqman verse 16:

16 "O my son!" (said Luqman) "If there be (but) the weight of a mustard-seed and it were (hidden) in a rock or (anywhere) in the heavens or on earth, Allah will bring it forth (to render account): for Allah understands the finest mysteries (and) is well-acquainted (with them).

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan