Can I Take a Ritual Bath When I See Yellow Discharge at the End of Menses?
Question Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad
Question:
The normal discharge of women is slightly yellow, but after menses, when we see a slight yellow discharge, why is it considered haram? Sometimes I see signs of purity, and sometimes I don’t, but blood stops completely every time on the 7th day. I am really confused about yellow discharge. Do I bathe when I see slight yellow or yellow discharge after menses?
Answer:
Assalamu alaykum,
Thank you for your question. I am sorry for your confusion, just learn the rules once and follow them; it should clear up any doubts.
Colors
The colors of menstruation in the Shafi’i school are black, brown, red, yellow, and dusky, in order of strength. My teacher also told me that green will count as menstruation. The colors of purity are clear or white. Simply put, when you see clear or white, that is when you take your ritual bath (ghusl) and don’t question it any further; any bath before that is invalid. Please see this link for more details:
https://seekersguidance.org/answers/general-counsel/off-white-vaginal-discharge/
Determining the end of menses
In order to determine the end of your menses, you should apply a kursuf, which is a small piece of white cloth (toilet paper disintegrates too easily) about 30-40 minutes before the end of the prayer time inserted between the labial lips. Walk around and wait for some moisture to come down. When you remove it and check, you will see the true color without it being oxidized. If it’s clear, you have enough time to shower and pray; if it isn’t, then do it again at the end of the next prayer time. You don’t need to do this for your whole period, of course, just toward the end, when you suspect that your menses is ending.
May Allah give you the best of this world and the next.
[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria, for two years, where she studied aqidah, fiqh, tajweed, tafseer, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her master’s in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan, where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She recently moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.
