1/110. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 274 — Usual Period and Prayer
Concerning The Woman Who Has Istihadah, And (Those Scholars) Who Stated That She Should Leave The Prayer For The Number Of Days Which She Used To Menstruate
Istihadah Hadith: Count the Usual Menses Days Then Pray
Sunan Abi Dawud : 274
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 274
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّ امْرَأَةً كَانَتْ تُهَرَاقُ الدِّمَاءَ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَاسْتَفْتَتْ لَهَا أُمُّ سَلَمَةَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " لِتَنْظُرْ عِدَّةَ اللَّيَالِي وَالأَيَّامِ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تَحِيضُهُنَّ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُصِيبَهَا الَّذِي أَصَابَهَا فَلْتَتْرُكِ الصَّلاَةَ قَدْرَ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الشَّهْرِ فَإِذَا خَلَّفَتْ ذَلِكَ فَلْتَغْتَسِلْ ثُمَّ لْتَسْتَثْفِرْ بِثَوْبٍ ثُمَّ لْتُصَلِّ فِيهِ " .
Umm Salamah Narrated from:
In the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) there was a woman who had an issue of blood. So Umm Salamah asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to give a decision about her. He said: She should consider the number of nights and days during which she used to menstruate each month before she was afflicted with this trouble and abandon prayer during that period each month. When those days and nights are over, she should take a bath, tie a cloth over her private parts and pray.
[1] The blood flow of an adult woman during her menstrual cycle is called menses, indicative of absence of a pregnancy. Excessive, abnormal flow of blood is called Istihādah (menorrhagia, commonly known as "bleeding"). The color of this blood is different from that of normal menstrual blood. Blood following childbirth is called Nifās . The days of menstruation ( Haid ) and post-partum bleeding ( Nifās ) are counted as days of impurity. But the days of excessive, abnormal bleeding ( Istihādah ) are days of purity because that is an ailment.[1] See Muslim no. 333.Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 274In-book reference : Book 1, Hadith 274English translation : Book 1, Hadith 274
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 274
This hadith is about a woman who had an issue of blood in the time of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم. Umm Salamah asked him for a decision about her. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم told her to consider the number of nights and days she used to menstruate each month before the problem began. During that usual period, she should leave prayer. When those days and nights were over, she should bathe, tie a cloth over her private parts, and pray. The main search phrase is “istihadah hadith.” The teaching is practical and direct: the woman looks back to her known habit, then follows the steps mentioned in the hadith.
What we learn from this hadith
- The woman should count the days and nights of her usual menses.
- She should leave prayer during that usual period.
- After that time, she should bathe, bind a cloth, and pray.
