there remains no ground for doubt after that time-limit, and he must neither embrace her, nor touch her, nor derive any pleasure from her in any way after purchasing her until she has menstruated while in his possession—this is deemed reprehensible, though not strictly forbidden. Intercourse itself, however, is unlawful until istibrāʾ has been completed. Once her blood appears and it is confirmed that she is menstruating, he may enjoy from her whatever is lawful with a menstruating woman.

If the buyer has been absent from the slave-girl and they later meet again, the seller may not have intercourse with her until he has carried out istibrāʾ for one full menstrual period. If the buyer has not been away from her and it was impossible for him to have intercourse with her, the requirement of istibrāʾ is waived.

Istibrāʾ is obligatory for every woman who is purchased, for any female sold to minors, and for every new form of ownership, except the instance we described under rescission of sale.

Whoever buys a slave-girl whose husband divorced her before consummation must observe one menstrual period of istibrāʾ, though some jurists maintain that no istibrāʾ is required in this case. If her husband had consummated the marriage and then divorced her, and her master subsequently sold her, the purchaser may not approach her until after two menstrual periods, for that is her waiting-period (‘idda).

If a man purchases his own wife, the marriage is annulled and no istibrāʾ is due. Should he sell her before having intercourse with her after acquiring ownership, the new buyer may not have intercourse with her until she has completed two menstrual periods; but if he first has intercourse with her and then sells her, the purchaser is not obliged to perform any istibrāʾ.

Whoever purchases a slave-woman who is in her waiting-period because of divorce or widowhood must allow that waiting-period to finish as her istibrāʾ.

When a free woman commits fornication or is raped, she must observe istibrāʾ for three menstrual periods from that act of intercourse. If she is married, her husband is bound to abstain from intercourse with her until the istibrāʾ is complete; if she is unmarried, she may not contract a marriage until she has finished those three periods. If the adulteress or the rape-victim is a slave, one menstrual period suffices for her istibrāʾ, whether she is married or not—unless she is pregnant, in which case she may not marry, nor may her husband, if she has one, have intercourse with her until she gives birth. Likewise, any purchaser of her may not have intercourse with her.