Should I Consider the Brown Discharge Before and After My Period as Menstruation or Purity?

Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question

I experience slight brown discharge for 2–3 days about a week before my period, followed by normal white discharge for 1–3 days, and then my regular period with pain begins. After 9 days of bleeding, I again see light brown discharge for 2–3 days. Should I consider the brown discharge before and after as menstruation or purity? I often miss prayers because of this confusion.

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

In summary, colored discharge (excluding white and clear discharge) is blood. If it comes at a time in the month when a menstrual cycle is possible (i.e., at least 15 full days since the end of the previous cycle), any colored discharge/spotting is considered the beginning of the new cycle. [Birgivi, Dhukhr al-Muta’ahhilin]

It is not a condition that there be pain during this time, although pain usually accompanies the beginning of the menstrual cycle. [Ibid.]

If you see colored discharge at a valid time for menstruation, you will stop praying and fasting. You will only return to praying and fasting when the cycle stops (usually signalled by a white or clear discharge) or the bleeding exceeds 10 full days (i.e., 240 hours from the first instance of discharge). [Ibid.]

Please see this link for further details

Hope this helps
Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he went on to study at Darul Uloom Seminary in New York and completed his studies at Darul Mustafa in Tarim, Yemen.

There, he completed the memorization of the Quran and his study of Islamic Sciences. Throughout his years of study, he was blessed to learn from many great scholars: Habib Umar bin Hafiz, Habib Kazhim al-Saqqaf, Shaykh ‘Umar bin Husayn al-Khatib, and others.

Upon returning, he joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.