118 – On the authority of Hamnah bint Jahsh who said: “I used to experience extremely heavy and prolonged istiḥāḍah (non-menstrual bleeding). I went to the Prophet ﷺ to seek his ruling and he said, ‘It is nothing but a kick from Satan. Regard yourself as menstruating for six or seven days, then perform a ritual bath. Once you are clean, pray for twenty-four or twenty-three days and observe the fast and the prayer, for that will suffice you. Do this every month as other women menstruate. If you are able, then delay the noon (ẓuhr) prayer and bring the afternoon (ʿaṣr) prayer forward; when you attain purity, bathe and pray the two together. Next, delay the sunset (maghrib) prayer and bring the night (ʿishāʾ) prayer forward; then bathe and combine the two prayers—do so. And bathe at dawn and perform the dawn (ṣubḥ) prayer.’ She added, ‘Of the two courses, that is the one I prefer.’”
Recorded by the Five except al-Nasāʾī, declared sound by al-Tirmidhī and judged ḥasan by al-Bukhārī. (1)
Degree of authenticity:
The ḥadith is ḥasan. It was collected by the Five except al-Nasāʾī, authenticated by al-Tirmidhī, and graded ḥasan by al-Bukhārī. A number of other scholars—among them Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn al-ʿArabī and al-Shawkānī in Al-Sayl al-Jarrār—also judged it sound. One of the two narrations from Imām Aḥmad likewise affirms its authenticity.
Vocabulary:
– Hamnah (with ḥāʾ opened and mīm silent): Hamnah bint Jahsh al-Asadiyyah, a woman Companion of the Prophet ﷺ.