Correct; she therefore follows the usual pattern of women, and women generally menstruate once each month.

His statement, “and for a female slave, two months,” is based on what has preceded: her waiting period is two menstrual cycles, and each menstrual cycle is reckoned as one month. Thus, when menstruation is absent, her waiting period is two months.

This concludes the discussion of the woman whose menstruation has ceased and who does not know the reason for its cessation. The author then began to explain the case of one whose menstruation has ceased and who knows what caused it to cease, saying:

“And if she knows what caused it to cease—such as illness, breastfeeding, or something else—she remains in her waiting period until menstruation returns, whereupon she observes her waiting period by it, or until she reaches the age of menopause, whereupon she observes its waiting period.”

This concerns a woman who ordinarily menstruates, but whose menstruation has ceased because of breastfeeding. It is generally the case that a breastfeeding woman does not menstruate. Her husband then divorces her, and her waiting period is three menstrual cycles. We say: Wait until the cause for which menstruation ceased—namely, breastfeeding—comes to an end. If she remains in this state until she weans the child, yet her menstruation does not return, what should be done? We say: She should wait until menstruation returns or until she reaches the age of menopause, which, according to the madhhab, is fifty years. Once she reaches fifty, she observes the waiting period of a menopausal woman: three months.

Thus, if she were divorced, for example, at the age of twelve while breastfeeding, then weaned the child at fourteen but her menstrual blood did not come, she would wait until fifteen, then sixteen, then seventeen, without her menstrual blood coming. How long is she to wait? Until