How Can I Figure Out My Regular Period as I have Irregular Vaginal Bleeding?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

Every time I have a period, it’s always longer than ten days. My last period lasted / months; my current one is on day 19. I’m not sure how to figure out when I can pray or how to stay ritually pure when I do pray. And I cannot calculate my regular cycles because they are all over the place. Some days are light; others are medium. But also, what are the rulings on intercourse with your spouse during istihadha’?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

You should re-jog your memory and sit down with a calendar and find out your last period cycle of days and the purity period between it.

When your next period starts, stop praying until it stops. If the bleeding continues for more than ten days, then the number of days beyond your habit is considered irregular bleeding (istihadha’). So, if your habit were six days, you will treat everything after day six as irregular bleeding if the bleeding continues past ten days. The prayers missed after day six would have to be made up.

Bedroom Relations

It is permissible to engage in sexual intercourse during irregular bleeding, no matter how heavy the flow. Although it may feel strange to engage, she should speak to her husband and unite on how to go on about it and understand each other, so it does become an issue.

Irregular Bleeding

Irregular bleeding (istihadha’) is usually indicative of a hormonal imbalance or underlying illness and, as a result, can cause discomfort and weakness. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) described it as a ‘kick from Satan’ as narrated from ‘Aishah (Allah be pleased with her) that Umm Habibah bint Jahsh who was married to ‘Abdur-Rahman bin ‘Awf suffered from irregular bleeding (Istihadah) and did not become pure. Her situation was mentioned to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace). He said: That is not menstruation, rather it is a kick in the womb, so let her work out the length of the menses that she used to have and stop praying (for that period of time), then after that, let her perform a bath for every for every prayer. [Nasai; N. Ackbarali, A Muslim Woman’s Guide to Menstruation Rulings; Hartford, Birgivi’s Manual Interpreted]

I advise you to consult a doctor and a local reliable female scholar who is well-versed in menstruation matters. Attend any on-the-ground and online courses on menstruation. Also, buy books related to the topic.

Check these links as well:
How To Determine Periods With Dysfunctional Bleeding. – SeekersGuidance
What Means Should a Woman With Dysfunctional Vaginal Bleeding (Istihada) Take to Stop the Bleeding Prior to Prayer? – SeekersGuidance

Recommended Books
Birgivi’s Manual Interpreted: Complete Fiqh on Menstruation & Related Issues:
A Muslim Woman’s Guide To Menstruation Rulings – Inspired Muslim Women

Why not begin your search for knowledge by signing up for a course on Seekersguidance?
SeekersAcademy (seekersguidance.org)

May Allah (Most High) give you ease, and may your cycle return to its normality, amin

I pray this helps with your question.

[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani