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.

 

If you have had a pattern of menstruating a fixed number of days such as six or seven then you should consider it as your period; after that, you should resume prayer following a ritual bath.

 

You may also be able to distinguish between the menstrual and the non-menstrual blood by its thickness, dark color, and odor. We read in one tradition, “If it is menstrual blood, it is known by its dark color, in which case you must abstain from Prayer. However, if it is the other (blood), you must perform ablution and offer Prayer, because it is (the bleeding of) a vein” (Abu Dawud).

Another important fact to take into account is that according to the scholars, at no time, menses should exceed more than fifteen days. In other words, any bleeding beyond that cannot be deemed as due to menses; instead, it is a case of istihadah.

 

If you are still confused, you may do well to consult your gynecologist who should be able to help you sort out the matter.

 

Allah Almighty knows best.