What is istihada?
Istihada is vaginal bleeding outside a woman's normal period, and unlike a period, it doesn't stop her from praying or fasting. She cleans herself, makes wudu after each prayer time begins, and carries on with worship as normal.
Period or istihada?
Fatimah bint Abi Hubaysh told the Prophet ﷺ that her bleeding never stopped and asked if she should leave prayer. He said: "No, that is from a blood vessel, not menstruation. When your period comes, leave the prayer, and when it ends, wash the blood off and pray" (Sahih al-Bukhari 228). So Islam separates the two: a period pauses prayer, istihada doesn't.
Today, istihada often comes from spotting on hormonal contraception, PCOS, fibroids, a hormonal coil, or bleeding that goes on longer than the maximum length of a period. Your doctor can tell you the medical cause; follow their advice for treatment.
How to tell them apart
- Your usual habit: if your period normally lasts six days, bleeding beyond that (in a long episode) is usually istihada.
- The blood itself: period blood is often darker, thicker and has a distinct smell; istihada is usually lighter and red.
- School limits: the Hanafis say a period lasts 3 to 10 days; the Shafi'is and Hanbalis say 1 to 15 days; the Malikis set a 15-day maximum with no minimum. Bleeding beyond the maximum is istihada.
If your pattern is confusing, a scholar who knows the details of your school can help you work out your days.
How to pray with istihada
- Wait until the prayer time starts, wash the area, and use a pad or liner.
- Make wudu, then pray the obligatory prayer and any sunnah prayers of that time.
- If blood comes out during the prayer, carry on. The Hanafis, Shafi'is and Hanbalis say you renew wudu for each prayer time; the Malikis recommend it but don't require it.
This is the same rule for anyone with an ongoing issue, like urine leakage. See Does bleeding break wudu?
What else is allowed
During istihada you can fast, read and touch the Quran (with wudu), go to the mosque and, according to most scholars, be intimate with your husband. It's simply treated as a state of purity with a health condition. When your actual period starts, the period rules apply until it ends. See Do I have to pray while on my period? and When can I pray again after my period ends?
- Istihada is bleeding outside the normal period (Sahih al-Bukhari 228).
- You still pray and fast during istihada.
- Make wudu after each prayer time begins, then pray.
- Use your habit, the blood's features and school limits to tell it apart.
People also ask
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