Sunan al-Nasa'i — The Book of Menstruation and Istihadah

“We went out with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with no intention other than Hajj. When he was in Sarif I began menstruating. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered upon me and I was weeping. He said: ‘What is the matter with you? Has you Nifas begun?’ I said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘This is something that Allah the Mighty and Sublime has decreed for the daughters of Adam. Do what the pilgrims do but do not perform Tawaf around the House.'”

“That is a vein, so when the time of menstruation comes, stop praying, and when it goes, take your bath and wash the blood from yourself then pray.”

“When the time of menstruation comes, stop praying, and when it goes, perform Ghusl.”

“Umm Habibah bint Jahsh asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): ‘O Messenger of Allah, I suffer from Istihadah.’ He said: ‘That is a vein, so perform Ghusl, then pray.’ And she used to perform Ghusl for each prayer.”

“I saw her wash tub filled with blood.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to her: “Stop (praying) for as long as your period used to last, then perform Ghusl.”

“A woman asked the Prophet (ﷺ): ‘I suffer from Istihadah and I never become pure; should I stop praying?’ He said: ‘No. Stop praying for the number of days and nights that you used to menstruate, then perform Ghusl, wrap a cloth around yourself, and pray.'”

“Let her count the number of nights and days that she used to menstruate each month before this happened to her, and let her stop praying for that period of time each month. Then when that is over let her perform Ghusl, then wrap a cloth around herself, and pray.”

“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 Ghusl for every for every prayer.”

“That is not menstruation, rather it is a vein. Tell her not to pray for the period of time that her period used to last, then let her perform Ghusl and pray.” She used to perform Ghusl for every prayer.

“That is a vein, so when your period comes, do not pray, and when your period is over, purify yourself and pray in between one period and the next.” Abu ‘Abdur-Rahman said: Hisham bin ‘Urwah reported this Hadith from ‘Urwah, and he did not mention what Al-Mundhir mentioned in it.

Fatimah bint Abi Hubaish came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said: “I am a woman who suffers from Istihadah and I never become pure. Should I stop praying?” He said: “No, that is a vein, it is not menstruation. When your period comes, stop praying, and when it goes, wash the blood from yourself and pray.”

It was narrated from ‘Aishah that a woman who suffered from Istihadah at the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was told that it was a stubborn vein (i.e., one that would not stop bleeding). She was told to delay Zuhr and bring ‘Asr forward, and to perform one Ghusl for both, and to delay Maghrib and bring ‘Isha’ forward, and to perform one Ghusl for both, and she would perform one Ghusl for Subh.

“I said to the Prophet (ﷺ) that I was suffering from Istihadah. He said: ‘Do not pray during the days of your period, then perform Ghusl and delay Zuhr and bring Maghrib and bring ‘Isha’ forward and pray them together, and perform Ghusl for Fajr.”

“If it is menstrual blood then it is blood that is black and recognizable, so stop prying, and if it is other than that then perform Wudu’, for it is just a vein.”

“Menstrual blood is blood that is black and recognizable, so if it is like that, then stop praying, and if it is otherwise, then perform Wudu’ and pray.” Abu ‘Abdur-Rahman said: Others reported this Hadith, and none of them mentioned what Ibn ‘Adi mentioned, and Allah knows best.

“Fatimah bint Abi Hubaish suffered from Istihadah and she asked the Prophet (ﷺ): ‘O Messenger of Allah, I suffer from Istihadah and I do not become pure; should I stop praying?’ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘That is a vein and is not menstruation. When your period comes, stop praying, and when it goes wash the traces of blood from yourself and do Wudu’. That is a vein and is not menstruation.'” It was said to him (one of the narrators): “What about Ghusl?” He said: “No one is in doubt about that.”

“Fatimah bint Abi Hubaish said to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): ‘O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), I do not become pure. Should I stop praying?’ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘That is a vein and is not menstruation. When your period comes, stop praying, and when it has passed, then wash the blood from yourself and pray.'”

Fatimah bint Abi Hubaish said to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): “O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), I do not become pure. Should I stop praying?” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “That is a vein and is not menstruation. When your period comes, stop praying, and when the same amount of time as your regular period has passed, then wash the blood from yourself and pray.”

“O Messenger of Allah, I do not become pure, so should I stop praying? He said: “no, that is a vein.” – (One of the narrators) Khalid said, in what I read from him – “and it is not menstruation, so when your period comes, stop praying, and when it goes, wash the blood from yourself and pray.”

“Umm ‘Atiyah said: ‘We used not to regard yellowish and brownish discharge as anything important.'”

“When one of their womenfolk menstruated, the Jews would not eat or drink with them, or mix with them in their houses. They (the Companions) asked the Prophet of Allah (ﷺ) about that, and Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, revealed the Ayah: They ask you concerning menstruation. Say: “That is an Adha (a harmful thing). So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commanded them to eat and drink with them (menstruating women) and to mix them in their houses, and to do everything with them except intercourse. The Jews said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) does not leave anything of our affairs except he goes against it.’ Usaid bin Hudair and ‘Abbad bin Bishr went and told the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and they said: ‘Should we have intercourse with them when they are menstruating?’ The expression of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) changed greatly until we thought he was angry with them, and they left. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) received a gift of milk, so he sent someone to bring them back and he gave them some to drink, so we knew that he was not angry with them.” Al-Baqarah 2:222 Al-Baqarah 2:222

“Let him give a Dinar or half a Dinar in charity.”

“While I was lying down with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) under a blanket, my period came so I slipped away and put on the clothes I used to wear when I was menstruating. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Are you menstruating?’ I said: ‘Yes.’ Then he called me to lie down with him under the blanket.” This is the wording of ‘Ubaidullah bin Sa’eed. That is, one of the narrators in one of the chains, as the author reported it through different chains, as he did when it preceded, see No. 284.

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and I would sleep under a single blanket when I was menstruating. If anything got on him from me, he would wash that spot and no more, and pray in it, then come back. If anything got on it again from me, he would do likewise and no more, and he would pray in it.”

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would tell one of us, if she was menstruating, to tie her Izar (waist wrap) tightly then he would fondle her.”

“If one of us was menstruating, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would tell her to put on an Izar (waist wrap) then he would fondle her.”

“I entered upon ‘Aishah with my mother and maternal aunt, and we asked her what the Prophet (ﷺ) used to do when one of (his wives) was menstruating. She said: He would tell us, when when of us menstruated, to wrap a wide Izar around herself then he would embrace her chest and breasts.

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would fondle one of his wives when she was menstruating, if she wore and Izar (waist wrap) that reached halfway down her thighs or to her knees.

“Can a woman eat with her husband while she is menstruating?’ She said: ‘Yes. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would call me to eat with him while I was menstruating. He would take a piece of bone on which some bits of meat were left and insist that I take it first, so I would nibble a little from it, then put it down. Then he would take it and nibble from it, and he would put his mouth where mine had been on the bone. Then he would call for a drink and insist that I take it first before he drank from it. So I would take it and drink from it, then put it down, then he would take it and drink from it, putting his mouth where mine had been on the cup.'”

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would put his mouth on the place from which I had drunk, and he would drink from my leftovers when I was menstruating.”

“I heard ‘Aishah say: ‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would give me the vessel and I would drink from it, when I was menstruating, then I would give it to him and he would look for the place where I had put my mouth and put that to his mouth.'”

“I would drink when I was menstruating, then I would hand it to the Prophet (ﷺ), and he would put his mouth where mine had been and drink. And I would nibble at a bone on which some bits of meat were left when I was menstruating, then I would give it to the Prophet (ﷺ) and he would put his mouth where my mouth had been.”

“The head of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would rest in the lap of one of us when she was menstruating, and he would recite Qur’an.”

“A woman asked ‘Aishah: ‘Should a menstruating woman make up the Salah she misses? She said: ‘Are you a Haruri? We used to menstruate during the time of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) but we did not make up the missed Salah nor were we commanded to do so.'” Meaning are you one of the Khawarij. Harura is a place associated with a group of the Khawarij.

“While the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was in the Masjid, he said: ‘O ‘Aishah, hand me the garment.’ She said: ‘I am not praying.’ He said: ‘It is not in your hand.’ So she gave it to him.”

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Give me the mat from the MAsjid.’ She said: ‘I am menstruating.’ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Your menstruation is not in your hand.'”

(Another chain) with similarity.

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to lay his head in the lap of one of us and recite Qur’an while she was menstruating, and one of us would take the mat to the Masjid and spread it out when she was menstruating.”

It was narrated from ‘Aishah that she used to comb the hair of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when she was menstruating and he was performing I’tikaf. He would put his head out to her while she was in her room.

“The Prophet (ﷺ) would put his head out while he was performing I’tikaf and I would wash it, while I was menstruating.”

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to put his head out of the Masjid while he was performing I’tikaf, and I would wash it, while I was menstruating.”

“I used to comb the hair of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) while I was menstruating.”

“Umm ‘Atiyah would never mention the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) without saying: ‘May my father be ransomed for him.’ I said: ‘Did you hear the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say such and such?’ And she said: ‘Yes, may my father be ransomed for him.’ He said: ‘Let the mature girls, virgins staying in seclusion, and menstruating woman go out and witness the good occasions and the supplications of the Muslims, but let the menstruating women keep away from the prayer place.'”

“Safiyyah bint Huyai began menstruating.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Perhaps she has detained us. Did she not circumambulate the House with you?” She said: “Yes.” He said: “Then you can leave.”

“Tell her to perform Ghusl and (begin the Talbiyah).”

“I offered the funeral prayer with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) for Umm Ka’b who had died during childbirth, and during the prayer, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood at her middle.”

“Scratch it, then rub it with water, then sprinkle water over it, and pray in it.”

“I heard Umm Qais bint Mihsan say that she asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about menstrual blood that gets on one’s clothes. He said: ‘Scratch it with a stick and wash it with water and lotus leaves.'”