Question
Assalamu alaikum,
I wanted to ask if it is permissable to partake in sehri and make intention of fasting once the haidh bleeding has stopped but without officially being “clean” and having a ghusal.
If fajr is not observed, and later in the day it’s confirmed that the period has finished and then ghusal and prayers are observed ie: zohar onwards and no food or drink has been consumed, is the fast counted?
Of course if some more bleeding occurs I know it isn’t, but I have long periods (upto 8 hrs) of neither bleeding nor having clean discharge to help me decide, hence the confusion.
Jazakallah khair
Wassalaamu alaikum
Answer
In the name of Allah, the Inspirer of Truth
There are three possible scenarios to your question:
- Bleeding (hayd) stops before the maximum (240 hours/ten days and nights):
If a woman stopped bleeding before Fajr, with enough time to take a ritual bath (ghusl) and say Allah from the opening takbir of salat, her fast the following day will be valid.
Please note, the average time to perform ghusl to attain purity is 10-15 minutes.
If she delays her ghusl until after Fajr (before mid-morning), she will be required to make up for any prayers she missed during that interval (‘Isha and/or Fajr).
However, if her bleeding stopped at dawn and there was not enough time to do the aforementioned (ghusl and takbir), her fast will be invalid. This is because there is no possibility for her to attain purity before the fast starts. Nonetheless, since the bleeding has ceased, it will be necessary for her to perform ghusl and resume salat. She is required to abstain from food and drink because she now qualifies for fasting. She must make-up (qada) for this fast at a later date.
- Bleeding (hayd) stops at the maximum (240 hours)
If her bleeding stops before Fajr – even if it is moments before Fajr, as there is no possible extension of hayd beyond 240 hours, her fast the following day will be valid.
If she delays her ghusl, she must make up for any missed prayers including ‘Isha and/or Fajr.
- Bleeding continues beyond the maximum (240 hours)
If her bleeding continues beyond the maximum (240 hours) – she must refer to her hayd and purity habits to determine which days are hayd. Even so, if 240 hours expires before the time for Fajr enters, she must fast the following day.
Note: The latest a woman can delay her ghusl until is mid-morning. This can be determined by calculating mid-point between Fajr and Maghrib time of that day. Please bear in mind this may change daily. Zawwal does not represent mid-morning.
A woman should not purposefully delay ghusl as this may result in missing salat in its due time.
And Allah knows best.
Manhal al-Waridin, pp197-9 Hartford ed.
Answered by:
Bint Saeed
Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel