Jurisprudence

Q 215: My mother is a descendant of the Noble Prophet (s.), am I also considered as a sayyid? Can I consider the blood I see until the age of sixty as menses and abstain from praying and fasting during it?
A: A woman, whose father is not hāshimī, should consider every discharge of blood after the age of 50 years as istiḥāḍah even though her mother is sayyidah.

Q 216: What is the duty of a woman whose menses start while she is observing a fast to fulfill a nadhr of fasting on the very day?
A: Her fast is nullified by the start of menses, even if they cover only a part of the day of the fast, and it is obligatory for her to make the fast up after being cleansed.

Q 217: What is the rule pertaining to spotting seen by a woman after she is convinced that she has become cleansed, and is certain that the spot neither possesses the properties of blood nor that of blood mixed with water?
A: If it is not blood, it does not fall under the category of menstruation. But if it is blood, even in the form of yellow spotting, and does not exceed the tenth day of the period, all these sorts of spotting are considered menses. Determining the nature of the liquid rests with the woman.

Q 218: What is the rule concerning postponement of menses by using medicines for the purpose of fasting the month of Ramadan?
A: There is no objection to it.

Q 219: If slight bleeding occurs during pregnancy, though it does not result in miscarriage, is it obligatory for a woman to perform the ghusl? What is her duty?
A: Any blood discharged during pregnancy and either possesses the properties and conditions of menstruation or it happens at the time of her usual period is considered as menses provided that it continues — even it is only internal bleeding — for three days. Otherwise it is ruled to be istiḥāḍah.

Q 220: A woman who has had regular monthly periods of seven days, for example, has a discharge for twelve days as a result of using a contraceptive device. Is the discharge after the seventh day to be considered menstruation, or is it istiḥāḍah?
A: If the bleeding does not stop after the tenth day, the blood on the days of the regular monthly period is ruled as menses, and the remaining days of bleeding as istiḥāḍah.

Q 221: Is it permissible for a menstruating woman or for a woman in ‘puerperium’ to enter the shrines of the Imams’ descendants (a.)?
A: It is permissible.

Q 222: Is a woman who has undergone abortion curettage categorized as having ‘puerperium’ or not?
A: The discharge of blood after miscarriage, even when the fetus is just a clot-like structure, is ruled to be ‘puerperium’.

Q 223: To which category does the blood discharged after ‘menopause’ belong? What is the shar‘ī duty of such a woman?

A: It is ruled as istiḥāḍah.

Q 224: One of the methods of preventing unwanted births is the use of contraceptive pills, and women who take these pills get blood spots during and outside their menstrual time. What is the rule applicable to these spots?
A: If these spots do not possess the criteria mentioned in Islamic law for menstruation, they are not considered menses. Rather the rules of istiḥāḍah apply to them.