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

Thus, there are three forms in which menstruation may change: an increase, coming earlier, and delay. A fourth form remains—namely, a decrease—which the author will mention. (1)

His statement, “Whatever occurs three times is menstruation,” is exactly like the case of the woman menstruating for the first time.

An example of an increase is a woman whose established pattern is five days, but whose menstruation lasts seven days. She observes menstruation for only five days, then bathes, prays, and fasts. When the bleeding ceases, she bathes a second time, just as a woman menstruating for the first time does when her bleeding exceeds the minimum duration of menstruation. If, in the second month, she menstruates for seven days, she does as she did in the first month. If, in the third month, she menstruates for seven days, it becomes menstruation. At that point, she must make up whatever a menstruating woman is required to make up from what she did after her original established pattern: she must make up the obligatory fast if she fasted during those two days, and the obligatory circumambulation if she performed it during them, because it has become clear that those two days were menstruation; and fasting and circumambulation are not valid during menstruation.

This is based on what was previously mentioned regarding the woman menstruating for the first time. It has already been stated that the correct view is that she observes menstruation until she becomes pure. (2) Accordingly, if a woman’s established pattern increases, she must remain without praying or fasting, and her husband must not have intercourse with her until she becomes pure; then she bathes and prays. This is because it is menstrual blood and has not changed. Allah has defined menstruation for us by a clear, objective description, saying: “And they ask you concerning