This article explains the rulings of menstruation and postpartum bleeding according to the Hanbali madhhab. The rulings are summarized from Sharh Muntaha al-Iradat, Kashshaf al-Qina, and Matalib Uli al-Nuha.

The Hanbali madhhab categorizes the blood discharged by women into three types:

1. Hayd (Menstruation) — Natural menstrual blood.
2. Nifas (Postpartum Bleeding) — Blood associated with childbirth.
3. Istihadah (Irregular Bleeding) — Bleeding that falls outside the legal rulings of menstruation.

Menstruation (Hayd)

Menstruation is the natural blood discharged from a woman’s womb at specific times. It is distinct from irregular bleeding.

Age of Menstruation

According to the Hanbali school:

• Menstruation is recognized only between nine and fifty years of age.
• Blood seen before nine or after fifty is treated as irregular bleeding (istihadah).

A pregnant woman does not menstruate. Any bleeding during pregnancy is treated as irregular bleeding, except bleeding that begins two or three days before childbirth and is accompanied by signs of labor, which is treated as postpartum bleeding.

Duration of Menstruation

According to the Hanbali school:

• Minimum: One day and one night (24 hours).
• Maximum: Fifteen days.
• Usual duration: Six or seven days.

Duration of Purity

The period of purity between two menstrual cycles is:

• Minimum: Thirteen days.
• Maximum: No limit.
• Usual duration: The remainder of the month.

Signs of Purity

A woman is considered pure from menstruation when either of the following appears:

• Complete dryness, such that a piece of cotton inserted at the place of bleeding comes out clean.
• The white discharge, which is a well-known sign of purity for many women.

Yellow and Brown Discharge

• Yellow or brown discharge occurring during the days of menstruation is treated as menstruation.
• Once one of the signs of purity has appeared, any yellow or brown discharge afterward is not considered menstruation.

Rulings of Menstruation

During menstruation:

• Prayer is prohibited and does not have to be made up.
• Fasting is prohibited and must be made up afterward.
• Menstruation establishes legal puberty.
• Menstruation is counted when calculating the waiting period (ʿiddah), except the waiting period following a husband’s death.
• Vaginal intercourse is prohibited, while other forms of intimacy remain permissible.
• Whoever has intercourse during menstruation must offer an expiation of one dinar (4.25 g of gold) or half a dinar.
• Remaining in a mosque is prohibited, though passing through is permitted if there is no fear of soiling it.
• Reciting the Qur’an is prohibited.
• Touching the Mushaf is prohibited.
• Circumambulating the Kaʿbah (tawaf) is prohibited.
• Divorcing a menstruating wife is prohibited.

Menstruation invalidates wuduʾ, but it does not prevent performing ghusl for janabah or other reasons.

After the Bleeding Stops

Once one of the signs of purity appears:

• Performing ghusl becomes obligatory. To learn more in-depth about the rulings of ghusl, read this article.
• Fasting becomes permissible, even before performing ghusl.
• A husband may divorce his wife.
• Entering the mosque for a need becomes permissible after performing wuduʾ.

Prayer, reciting the Qur’an, touching the Mushaf, tawaf, and marital intercourse remain prohibited until ghusl is performed.

Postpartum Bleeding (Nifas)

Postpartum bleeding is the blood discharged because of childbirth.

Duration and Beginning

According to the Hanbali school:

• Minimum duration: No minimum.
• Maximum duration: Forty days.

Postpartum bleeding begins with childbirth. Blood that appears two or three days before delivery, accompanied by signs of labor, is also treated as postpartum bleeding.

The forty-day period is calculated from the time the first part of the baby emerges.

A woman may become pure even one day after childbirth if the bleeding completely stops.

A miscarriage is treated as postpartum bleeding only if the expelled fetus has recognizable human features.

Rulings

Postpartum bleeding carries the same rulings as menstruation, except that it does not establish legal puberty or affect the calculation of the waiting period (ʿiddah).

If the bleeding stops before forty days, the woman performs ghusl and resumes prayer, fasting, and the other acts permitted to someone who is pure.

If bleeding returns within the forty-day period, it is treated according to the detailed rulings of the Hanbali school.

If bleeding continues beyond forty days:

• If it coincides with her regular menstrual cycle, it is treated as menstruation.
• Otherwise, it is treated as irregular bleeding.

Irregular Bleeding (Istihadah)

Irregular bleeding is bleeding that falls outside the legal rulings of menstruation. This includes bleeding before the age of nine, after fifty years of age according to the relied-upon position of the Hanbali school, during pregnancy, lasting less than one day and one night, or exceeding the maximum duration of menstruation.

A woman experiencing irregular bleeding is treated as ritually pure outside the days considered menstruation. She performs ghusl when her menstrual period ends, then performs wuduʾ for each prayer after its time begins if the bleeding continues. She may pray, fast, recite the Qur’an, enter the mosque, touch the Mushaf, perform tawaf, and marital relations are lawful.

If a woman’s bleeding exceeds the maximum duration of menstruation, the menstrual days are determined in the following order:

1. Her regular menstrual habit.
2. The characteristics of the blood, distinguishing menstrual blood from irregular bleeding.
3. If neither can be determined, she treats six or seven days as menstruation and regards the remaining bleeding as irregular bleeding.

Continuous Excuses

The rulings of irregular bleeding also apply to anyone with a continuous excuse, such as urinary incontinence, continuous discharge of madhy, uncontrollable passing of wind, or persistent bleeding from a wound or frequent nosebleeds.

A person with a continuous excuse should:

• Wash away any impurity as much as reasonably possible.
• Use a pad, tampon, dressing, or other suitable means to prevent the impurity from spreading.
• Perform wuduʾ after the time for each obligatory prayer begins if the excuse is ongoing.
• Pray even if the discharge continues after wuduʾ.

If the excuse normally ceases long enough to perform purification and the prayer, they should wait until that time and pray.