Question:
Assalamualaikum wbt,
I want to get a few advices regarding istihadah, haid and prayer from ustaz. For your information, I’ve been experiencing istihadah and has consulted with a specialist. It is found that I had a fibroid and I had undergone a surgery to remove the fibroid on the last 10th of April. However, until today (24th of April), I still experience vaginal bleeding, but only in the mornings. If this continues to May, how am I supposed to determine whether I’m experiencing vaginal bleeding or I’m going through my menstrual cycle? I’m very worried that I would make a mistake when performing my prayer. Second, if the bleeding stops for a few days, then it resumes, is this considered as menstruation?
Answer:
Waalaikumussalam wbt,
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
Definition of Fibroid
According to Kamus Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, fibroid means: “a type of growth that is not cancerous (benign).”. We assume that the patient that asked this question had a fibroid in the abdomen, that results in vaginal bleeding, where she cannot differentiate whether it is her menstrual blood or not.
Definition of Haid (Menstruation) and Istihadah
The author of the book al-Fiqh al-Manhaji defines the term haid (menstruation or period) as:
حيض في اللغة: السيلان. يقال حاض الوادي إذا سال. وفي الشرع: دم جبلة ـ أي خلقة وطبيعة ـ تقتضيه الطباع السليمة يخرج من أقصى رحم المرأة بعد بلوغها على سبيل الصحة، في أوقات معلومة.
“Haid’s literal meaning is flowing. While the meaning according to Syarak is natural blood that is normal to flow out of the vagina of a healthy woman that has reached puberty at certain times”. Refer to al-Fiqh al-Manhaji (1/77).
Based on this definition, it is understood the blood that flows due to haid, comes out when a woman is healthy and in normal conditions. Hence, blood that comes out under abnormal conditions and due to a disease or illness is not considered as haid, and this is what considered as fasad blood or istihadah blood. In the book al-Fiqh al-Manhaji, istihadah blood is defined as:
دم علة ومرض يخرج من عرق من أدنى الرحم يقال له العاذل
“Istihadah blood is blood that flows due to an illness or disease through the vessel at the end of the vagina, which is known as al-‘Azil.” Refer al-Fiqh al-Manhaji (1/79)
The Ruling for Istihadah Blood and Its Evidence
This type of blood invalidates ablution but does not obligate the bath, furthermore, it is obligatory for the woman to pray and fast. A woman that experienced istihadah must wash her istihadah blood and wear a diaper, take her ablution every time for prayer, only then she can perform her prayer.
This is in accordance with a hadith from Aisyah R.Anha, she said Fatimah binti Abu Hubaish came to meet with the Prophet PBUH and asked:
يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّى امْرَأَةٌ أُسْتَحَاضُ فَلاَ أَطْهُرُ أَفَأَدَعُ الصَّلاَةَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: لاَ إِنَّمَا ذَلِكِ عِرْقٌ وَلَيْسَ بِحَيْضَةِ فَإِذَا أَقْبَلَتْ حَيْضَةُ فاترُكي الصَّلاَةَ فإِذَا ذَهَبَ قدرها فَاغْسِلِى عَنْكِ الدَّمَ وَصَلِّى
“O Messenger of Allah! I am a woman who bleeds continuously and never becomes pure, should I give up the prayer?' He said: 'No, rather that is a vein and it is not menstruation. When the time of your period comes, leave off the prayer, and when it is over, take a bath and wash the blood from yourself and perform the prayer."
Sahih al-Bukhari (236) and Sahih Muslim (333)
Regarding the characteristics of istihadah blood, there is a hadith from Fatimah binti Abu Hubaish R.Anha, she experienced istihadah, thus, the Prophet PBUH said:
إِذَا كَانَ دَمُ الْحَيْضَةِ فَإِنَّهُ دَمٌ أَسْوَدُ يُعْرَفُ فَإِذَا كَانَ ذَلِكَ فَأَمْسِكِى عَنِ الصَّلاَةِ فَإِذَا كَانَ الآخَرُ فَتَوَضَّئِى وَصَلِّى فَإِنَّمَا هُوَ عِرْقٌ
"If it is menstrual blood then it is blood that is black and recognizable, so stop praying, and if it is other than that then perform Wudu', for it is just a vein."
Sunan Abu Daud (286)
From this hadith, we can conclude that if a woman is able to differentiate the color of the blood, then stronger colored blood is haid (menstruation), while weaker colored blood is istihadah blood.
The Conditions for Tamyiz (Differentiating the Characteristics of the Blood)
Below, we include the conditions for tamyiz, when a woman traces differences in the characteristics of the blood from her vagina:
- The blood flows for not less than haid’s (menstruation) duration; one day and one night.
- Strong blood flows for not more than the entirety of the haid’s duration; 15 days and 15 nights.
- Weak blood flows for not less than the entirety of haid’s duration; 15 days and 15 nights.
- Weak blood flows continuously without stopping (without naqa’ or intermittently followed by strong blood)
Refer al-Taqrirat al-Sadidah (pg. 168)
If one of this condition is not fulfilled, then the usual menstrual cycle for the woman is followed.
The Ruling of Blood That Flows After Fibroid Surgery
We are inclined towards the opinion that said, when the blood flows due to fibroid surgery and outside of the usual time for haid, then the blood is considered as istihadah blood. Meanwhile, if the blood flows during the usual time of haid, then it is considered as haid.
In the book Tuhfah al-A`izza’ (pg. 991-992), it states:
“When blood comes out or flows after the usage of medication/device, which is usual for the woman (known for her), then it is ruled as haid on the condition it does not exceed the entirety of duration for haid. If it exceeds the duration, then it is no longer considered as haid, for it flows because of the medication. Then, it is ruled as istihadah. Hence, the beginning blood is ruled as what is usual for her and the rest is ruled as pure (which means pure from the menses but is considered as istihadah blood.)”.
Wallahua’lam.