as menstrual blood; she then sits out that time, leaving off prayer and fasting, and regards everything else as istiḥāḍah. When the blood that bears the marks of menstruation ceases, she performs ghusl, resumes prayer and fasting, and is deemed ritually pure. The evidence is the Prophet’s ﷺ instruction to Fāṭimah bint Abī Ḥubaysh: “When it is menstrual blood, it is dark and recognizable, so stop praying; but when it is the other type, perform ablution and pray.” 1 This shows that a woman in istiḥāḍah bases her ruling on the qualities of the blood, distinguishing thereby between menses and other bleeding.

3. The third situation: if she has neither an established habit nor blood whose characteristics allow her to differentiate, she follows the common pattern of women and treats six or seven days of every month as menses, for that is the usual duration for most women. The Prophet ﷺ said to Ḥamnah bint Jahsh: “It is only a kick from Satan. Menstruate for six or seven days, then bathe; once you are clean, pray for twenty-four or twenty-three days, and fast and pray—that will suffice you. Do likewise as other women menstruate.” 2

In summary, the woman with a regular cycle reverts to her habit; the one who can distinguish relies on the characteristics of the blood; and the one who lacks both treats six or seven days as menses. Thus the three prophetic prescriptions concerning the mustaḥāḍah are reconciled.