She must abstain from the prayer and not pray on those days when her blood is black. Once the color changes from black to red, that is the sign that her menstruation has ended; she should then perform ablution and pray, for she has become pure.

The blood of istiḥāḍah does not carry the rulings of menstrual blood concerning the suspension of prayer and similar acts. It is the blood of an ailment, and the woman who experiences it remains pure, performing everything women free of menstruation may do.

Because the woman suffering from istiḥāḍah is affected by a type of illness, she is required to perform one ritual bath (ghusl) for every two prayers: one ghusl for Zuhr and ʿAsr, another for Maghrib and ʿIshaʾ, and one for Fajr. The juristic disagreement over this will be detailed later.

She must perform ablution for each prayer, for she is treated like someone whose state of minor impurity is continual and uninterrupted.

The jurists state: If a woman with istiḥāḍah has a fixed menstrual habit, she should sit out her customary number of days, for habit is given precedence over other indicators. If she no longer remembers her habit, she should rely on sound distinguishing signs—such as part of the blood being black, thick, or foul-smelling. If she has no reliable distinguishing sign either, she should refrain for the usual duration of menstruation, six or seven days.

Anyone with a continuous discharge—such as istiḥāḍah, urinary incontinence, pre-ejaculatory fluid, flatulence, or a wound that will not stop bleeding—must obligatorily wash away the impurity and its place, and perform ablution at the time of each prayer if anything is discharged. It is recommended for a woman with istiḥāḍah to perform a ritual bath before every prayer.

Washing away the blood is obligatory for the prayer, because blood is unanimously deemed impure.

Freedom from physical impurities is a prerequisite for the validity of the prayer.

The ḥadith establishes that a woman’s word is accepted regarding her personal states—pregnancy, the waiting period and its completion, and similar matters.

A woman experiencing istiḥāḍah must pray even while the blood is flowing, because she is considered pure.

The prayer becomes obligatory the moment menstrual blood ceases.