Note that these rulings do not concern prayer alone. Rather, all rulings contingent upon menstruation apply to these days if we deem them days of menstruation; and if we deem them days of purity, then all the rulings contingent upon purity apply accordingly.

In summary: a woman experiencing irregular bleeding who has begun menstruating for the first time follows the distinguishing characteristics of the blood. If she cannot distinguish it, she follows the usual pattern of women generally: she refrains for six or seven days, starting from the first time she saw the blood. If she has forgotten when she saw it, then she counts from the beginning of each lunar month. It has already been mentioned that the stronger view is that she follows the usual pattern of her female relatives.

A woman experiencing irregular bleeding who had an established menstrual pattern, even if she can distinguish the blood, follows her usual pattern. If she has forgotten it, she follows the valid distinguishing characteristics of the blood, .........

His statement, “A woman experiencing irregular bleeding who had an established menstrual pattern, even if she can distinguish the blood, follows her usual pattern”: a woman with an established pattern is one who had a sound, regular menstrual pattern before experiencing irregular bleeding, then was afflicted by the condition of irregular bleeding.

For example, a woman used to menstruate regularly and normally for six days at the beginning of every month. She then developed irregular bleeding, and bleeding came upon her which remained with her for most of the month. Such a woman has irregular bleeding but an established menstrual pattern. We say to her: whenever the month begins, refrain from the first day until the sixth day.

His statement, “even if she can distinguish the blood”: the word “even if” indicates a point of disagreement.

That is, this woman with an established pattern follows her usual pattern even if her blood is distinguishable, such that menstrual blood can be distinguished from other blood.

An example is a woman whose established pattern is from the first day of the month until the tenth day, but on the eleventh day she sees black blood for six days, while the remainder is red. This woman has an established pattern and can distinguish the blood. The well-known position of the madhhab is that she follows her usual pattern.