His statement, “He must allot a turn to a menstruating wife,” means that if he has two wives and one of them menstruates, the author says that he must still allot her a turn.

If he says, “I cannot enjoy intimacy with a menstruating wife in every way I wish,” we reply: Yet companionship, spending time together, and ensuring that she does not see the other wife as being favored over her are obligatory.

If the two wives agree that he need not allot a turn to the menstruating wife, is this permissible or not? And if it is permissible, may they later revoke their agreement, or may they not?

Let us consider: is this known or unknown? It is unknown. One wife may menstruate for five days, while another menstruates for ten days, and their usual patterns may vary. Thus, it is unknown; and when it is unknown, it will inevitably affect the wives’ feelings. One woman’s period may last five days, while the other’s may sometimes last five days, sometimes ten, sometimes eight, and sometimes thirteen days. This will leave something in their hearts. Even if they are content at first, they will not remain content in the end.

But if he says, “I will agree with both of you that I shall not allot a turn to a menstruating wife, provided that her menstruation does not exceed eight days,” then this is permissible, because he has set an upper limit; and perhaps this will be easier for everyone.

His statement, “And a woman in postnatal bleeding,” means that he must allot her a turn. For if this is obligatory in the case of a menstruating woman, then it is also obligatory in the case of a woman in postnatal bleeding; there is no difference between them. However, regarding a woman in postnatal bleeding, one must refer to customary practice. The custom in our society is that a woman in postnatal bleeding does not remain in her husband’s home; rather, she stays with her family until she becomes pure. Also, the custom in our society is that