𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻'𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 (318)

Why is menstruation and postpartum such a complex topic? Question: A woman remained in postpartum for forty days, then became pure for two days and later her menstruation returned—does she continue fasting or not? Sheikh ’Abdulhameed Az-Zu'kari hafidahullāh says: There is nothing more complex than issuing fatwas concerning menstruation and postpartum. The reason for this is the lack of knowledge among women about these matters, due to their limited understanding and insufficient attention. A woman may reach the age of fifty without distinguishing between the types of blood that exit from her, considering all blood as menstruation, and classifying all continuous blood as postpartum. This is a problem. A women must make an effort to distinguish between them. Menstrual blood is black and recognisable, both by its characteristics and its smell. Sometimes, it may be accompanied by cramps or pain. As for other types of blood, such as flesh-wash blood, red or yellow, or cloudy blood with strands, this is neither menstruation nor postpartum, and it is not obligatory for a woman to remain in postpartum for forty days. If she became pure after five days or if the fetus exited without blood, she must take a bath and begin praying and fasting. Similarly, many people are unaware of the difference between pre-seminal fluid, semen, and post-coital discharge. Some people say, "I was thinking (about intimacy) and semen exited, what is the ruling on my fasting?" Semen is the forcefully expelled fluid, unlike pre-seminal fluid or post-coital discharge. People are ignorant about rulings that relate to their own selves, and there are some who criticise Ahlus-Sunnah for their knowledge in this area. This is a topic where many are misinformed—some consider semen impure when it is not, and some do not distinguish between semen and post-coital discharge, just as (some) women may not differentiate between menstruation, the yellowish discharge, and other types of bleeding. Allāh's aid is sought. It is essential to note that some women mistakenly think that purification is only complete when they see the "white discharge." This is incorrect. The white discharge is merely one of the signs of purification. The actual purification occurs as soon as the bleeding stops, even if it changes to yellow or cloudy blood(1). Once the blood transitions from menstrual blood to yellowish or cloudy discharge, the woman is allowed to resume relations with her husband (if married), and it becomes obligatory for her to perform prayer and fasting after purification. __ (1) Due to the ḥadīth of Umm ’Atiyyah, who said: "We did not consider the yellowish or brownish discharge after purification to be of any significance." [Narrated by Abu Dawood and authenticated by Al-Albani]