Thus, a woman menstruating for the first time, who has neither an established pattern nor distinguishing characteristics, observes the predominant duration of menstruation from the beginning of the month. This is the point of his statement, “like one who has no established pattern or distinguishing characteristics.”

The correct view concerning a woman menstruating for the first time is that her blood is menstrual blood unless it continues for most of the month. Thus, from the time her bleeding begins, she observes menstruation until she becomes pure or until it exceeds fifteen days.

The evidence for this is the saying of Allah, Most High: “They ask you about menstruation. Say: It is harm.” [al-Baqarah 2:222] Whenever this blood—which is harm—is present, it is menstruation, whether little or much. For how can it be said to her: “Observe menstruation for a day and a night, then bathe, pray, then bathe again when it ceases a second time, and make up the fasts?!”

This would mean that we have made worship obligatory for her twice, and bathing twice; yet the Sacred Law does not prescribe such a ruling. Acts of worship are obligatory only once, not more than that.

If the bleeding of a woman menstruating for the first time continues for most of the time, then she is experiencing irregular bleeding. She refers to distinguishing characteristics; if there are none, then she follows the predominant duration of menstruation or the menstrual pattern of her female relatives. This is the correct view.

His statement, “And whoever’s established pattern increases”: “whoever” is a conditional noun that governs the verb and conveys generality; thus, it includes every woman.

For example, a woman’s established pattern is five days, then it increases and becomes seven days.

His statement, “or comes earlier”: an example is a woman whose established pattern is at the end of the month, but whose menstruation comes at the beginning of the month.