namely, that she should count six or seven days—the usual duration for most women—as menstruation, and that she may combine the two prayers if she wishes.

The first two Sunnah rulings are recorded in the authentic collections. As for the third, it is the hadith of Hamna bint Jahsh, reported by the compilers of the Sunan collections and authenticated by al-Tirmidhī. Abū Dāwūd and others also reported from Sahla bint Suhayl a hadith conveying part of the same meaning.

Ahmad applied these three Sunnah rulings respectively to the woman with an established menstrual pattern, the woman able to distinguish between the types of blood, and the woman left uncertain. If an established pattern and the ability to distinguish are both present, he gives precedence to the established pattern according to the sounder of the two reports from him, as indicated by most of the hadiths.

As for Abū Hanīfa, he takes an established pattern into consideration where one exists, but considers neither the distinction between the types of blood nor the prevailing norm. If there is no established pattern, he assigns the maximum menstrual period to a woman experiencing this for the first time; otherwise, he assigns her the minimum menstrual period.

Mālik considers the distinction between the types of blood, but considers neither the established pattern nor the prevailing norm. If [she cannot distinguish between the types of blood], he does not consider the established pattern or the prevailing norm and does not deem her to be menstruating; rather, she continues to pray at all times, except during the first month. Regarding that month, there are two reports: according to one, she treats the maximum menstrual period as menstruation; according to the other, she follows her customary duration and adds three days as a precaution.

Al-Shāfiʿī considers the distinction between the types of blood and the established pattern, but not the prevailing norm. When both are present, he gives precedence to the distinction; when neither is present, she continues to pray at all times. He also adopted an approach of precaution regarding what is obligatory, prohibited, and permissible that entails great difficulty, both in understanding and in practice.

Thus, the hadith jurists applied the three Sunnah rulings transmitted from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to these respective legal situations, and on each point a group of jurists agreed with them.