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:

Salam u alaikum

I have read most of the questions and answers regarding menstruation. however my problem is a little unique so i am hoping for a more direct answer. i understand the sharia law that u have stated in your answers but my question is ... what if a woman does NOT know her regular periods? Since having a baby, my periods have been extremely irregular. there is no particular start or end date and the duration also varies. My doctor has done several tests but so far alhamdulilah all the tests have come out negative. She is unsure why I have such as issue (she agrees this is highly abnormal) however since i am not in pain, she says i should not worry. my important concern is ... what do i do about my prayers and fasting? there is no start/end date of my periods and the duration also varies every time. This is the holy month of Ramadan and I dont want to miss my fasts but at the same time I dont want to be committing a sin. Please help ... I would really appreciate an urgent reply ...

may allah reward you ...

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Answer:

Irregular periods menses

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.

Respected sister, if there is no start of your menses, then obviously you should consider yourself pure and continue your prayers and fasts as prescribed by your Lord.

But if there is a prolonged period of menses, then you should estimate the number of days your menses periods used to last when you had regular periods, and determine those number of days as your menses period. After that estimated number of days have elapsed, you are to purify yourself with a ‘ghusl’ (full bath of purification), tie something around your private parts, consider yourself pure, and make yourself available for prayers and fasting as prescribed by your Lord.

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."

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