9 – The majority of scholars do not deem ghusl obligatory for a woman suffering from istiḥāḍah; they have no evidence on which to base such an obligation and therefore consider it only recommended. If she wishes to bathe, rather than performing ghusl before each of the five daily prayers—which would place a heavy burden on her, especially in cold weather—she may delay Ẓuhr until the end of its time and bring ʿAṣr forward to its earliest time, then pray both within their prescribed windows after a single ghusl. The same may be done with Maghrib and ʿIshāʾ; this is known as “apparent combining.” As for Fajr, one recommended ghusl suffices for it, since it is separated from the other five daily prayers by the close of night and the start of day. Undoubtedly ghusl achieves perfect cleanliness were it not for the considerable hardship it entails.