Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
- Menstruation refers to the discharge of blood during a woman’s state of health, not from giving birth or breaking the hymen.
- Most scholars say that the time of menstruation begins at the age of nine.
- If a woman has a customary length of time for her menses, she should according to it.
In his famous work, Fiqh As-Sunnah, Sheikh Sayyid Sabiq, elaborates on the subject as follows:
What is menstruation?
In Arabic, the word for menstruation (hayd) literally means “running.” Here it refers to the discharge of blood during a woman’s state of health, not from giving birth or breaking the hymen.
What time does a woman’s period start?
Most scholars say that the time of menstruation begins at the age of nine. If blood is seen before that age, it is not menstrual blood, but is considered to be putrid blood. As there is no evidence about when a woman stops menstruating, if an elderly lady finds blood flowing it is considered menstrual blood.
What color is period blood?
- Dark. Once, when Fatimah bint Abu Habash had a prolonged flow of blood, the Prophet told her, “If it is the blood of menstruation, it will be dark and recognizable. If it is that, then leave the prayer. If it is other than that, then make ablution and pray, for it is only due to a vein.” This is related by Abu Dawud, an-Nasa’i, Ibn Hibban and ad-Daraqutni, who said all of its narrators are trustworthy. Al-Hakim also related it, and said that it meets Muslim’s standards.
- Red. It is the original color of blood.
- Yellow. It is a liquid, like pus.
- A muddy color. It is an intermediate color between black and white, like dirt.
Imam Malik and Muhammad al-Hassan (and al-Bukhari in mu’allaq form) recorded that women would send Aishah small boxes with yellow-stained cotton, and she would tell them, “Do not be in haste until you see the pure white cotton.” If the discharge is yellow or muddy during the days of menstruation, it is to be considered as part of the menses. During other days, it is not regarded as such. Umm `Atiyyah said, “After we were pure, we did not consider the yellow or muddy discharge to be anything.” This is related by Abu Dawud and al-Bukhari, but without the words “…after we were pure…”
How long does a period last?
There is no stated minimum or maximum length of time for the menses. All statements dealing with this topic have no sound backing. If a woman has a customary length of time for her menses, she should according to it.
Umm Salamah asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) about a woman with a prolonged flow of blood. He said, “She should look for the number of days and nights that she usually has her menses and the time of the month during which it occurs. Then she should leave the prayer (during those days, and then afterwards) perform ghusl, tie something around her vagina and pray.” (Related by “the five,” except for at-Tirmizhi.)
If she has no customary period to go by, then she can try to distinguish between the different types of blood. This practice is based on the previously quoted hadith of Fatimah bint Abu Hubaish, which states that menstrual blood is distinguishable and well-known to women.
All scholars agree that there is no minimum or maximum time limit between two menstrual periods. Some say that the latter period is fifteen days, while others say it is three days.
Almighty Allah knows best.