Majmu' al-Fatawa - Ibn Taimiya - (21/623)

Chapter: Menstruation

Shaykh al-Islām was asked:

Is the following report attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) authentic, and how is it interpreted according to the schools of al-Shāfiʿī and Ahmad?

“Menstruation for a virgin girl lasts three days and their nights, and its maximum duration is fifteen days.”

He replied:

Attributing this report to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is false. Indeed, it is a fabricated lie, by agreement of the hadith scholars. It is, however, well known as a report transmitted by Abū al-Khuld from Anas, and Abū al-Khuld’s reliability has been questioned.

As for those who hold that the maximum duration of menstruation is fifteen days, as al-Shāfiʿī and Ahmad hold, and that its minimum is one day, as al-Shāfiʿī and Ahmad hold, or that it has no minimum limit, as Mālik holds, they say:

Nothing concerning this has been established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or his Companions. Rather, the matter is determined by usual menstrual patterns, as we have stated.

And Allah knows best.

بَابٌ الْحَيْضُ: سُئِلَ شَيْخُ الْإِسْلَامِ: عَمَّا يُرْوَى عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: {الْحَيْضُ لِلْجَارِيَةِ: الْبِكْرِ ثَلَاثَةُ أَيَّامٍ وَلَيَالِيهِنَّ وَأَكْثَرُهُ خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ} هَلْ هُوَ صَحِيحٌ؟ وَمَا تَأْوِيلُهُ عَلَى مَذْهَبِ الشَّافِعِيِّ وَأَحْمَد؟ . فَأَجَابَ: أَمَّا نَقْلُ هَذَا الْخَبَرِ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - فَهُوَ بَاطِلٌ؛ بَلْ هُوَ كَذِبٌ مَوْضُوعٌ بِاتِّفَاقِ عُلَمَاءِ الْحَدِيثِ. وَلَكِنْ هُوَ مَشْهُورٌ عَنْ أَبِي الْخُلْدِ عَنْ أَنَسٍ وَقَدْ تُكُلِّمَ فِي أَبِي الْخُلْدِ. وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ: أَكْثَرُ الْحَيْضِ خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ كَمَا يَقُولُهُ: الشَّافِعِيُّ وَأَحْمَد وَيَقُولُونَ: أَقَلُّهُ يَوْمٌ كَمَا يَقُولُهُ: الشَّافِعِيُّ وَأَحْمَد. أَوْ لَا حَدَّ لَهُ كَمَا يَقُولُهُ مَالِكٌ. فَهُمْ يَقُولُونَ: لَمْ يَثْبُتْ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَلَا عَنْ أَصْحَابِهِ فِي هَذَا شَيْءٌ وَالْمَرْجِعُ فِي ذَلِكَ إلَى الْعَادَةِ كَمَا قُلْنَا. وَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ.