Not Sure if my Cycle was Finished: Should I Fast Two Months for Expiation Because I Broke my Fast?

Answered by Ustadha Shaista Maqbool
Question: Hi,
I am on my period and today was my 7th day. My cycle usually goes on for 8 days. I woke up in the morning with no sign of period so I decided to fast. However around 10 o clock I saw some discoloured discharge so I broke my fast. Then around noon ish I noticed that there was no more signs of my menstruation so I began to fast again. I feel like I shouldn’t have broken my fast.Do I have to fast for 60 days for expiation?
Answer: Wa’alaikum assalaam warahmatu Allah,
If you did see discolored discharge, that would be considered part of your menses, so you were correct in breaking your fast.
Once you noticed that there was no more discharge, you are obliged to refrain from everything a fasting person refrains from (i.e. eat/drink/intercourse, etc), but you must still make up that fast since you didn’t fast from Fajr time.
If the discharge was clear or white, then yes, this would be normal discharge and not counted from your menses. If this was the case, you shouldn’t have broken your fast. However, because you broke your fast in this confusion, you would not have to do kaffarah, but simply make up that day. Nonetheless, as I mentioned above, it seems that what you did was correct if your discharged was colored.
wasalaam,
Shaista Maqbool
Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani