1/111. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 282 — Istihadah Is Not Menstruation
Those Who Narrated That She Should Not Leave The Prayer After Her Menses Finish
Istihadah Hadith: Prolonged Bleeding Is Not Menstruation
Sunan Abi Dawud : 282
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 282
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ النُّفَيْلِيُّ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرٌ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتَ أَبِي حُبَيْشٍ، جَاءَتْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَتْ إِنِّي امْرَأَةٌ أُسْتَحَاضُ فَلاَ أَطْهُرُ أَفَأَدَعُ الصَّلاَةَ قَالَ " إِنَّمَا ذَلِكِ عِرْقٌ وَلَيْسَتْ بِالْحَيْضَةِ فَإِذَا أَقْبَلَتِ الْحَيْضَةُ فَدَعِي الصَّلاَةَ وَإِذَا أَدْبَرَتْ فَاغْسِلِي عَنْكِ الدَّمَ ثُمَّ صَلِّي " .
A'isha Narrated from:
Fatimah daughter of Abu Hubaish came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said: I am a woman who has prolonged flow of blood; I am never purified; should I abandon prayer ? He replied: This is (due to) a vein, and not menstruation. When the menstruation begins, you should abandon prayer; when it is finished, you should wash away the blood and pray.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 282In-book reference : Book 1, Hadith 282English translation : Book 1, Hadith 282
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 282
This hadith about istihadah answers a direct question from Fatimah daughter of Abu Hubaish. She told the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم that she had prolonged bleeding and did not become purified, so she asked whether she should abandon prayer. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم explained that this was due to a vein and was not menstruation. He then gave a clear guide: when menstruation begins, she should leave prayer; when it ends, she should wash away the blood and pray. The teaching is focused and practical. It separates menstrual blood from prolonged bleeding and shows that prayer is not stopped without limit. For people searching for a hadith about menstruation and prayer, this narration is one of the key texts on the subject.
What we learn from this hadith
- Prolonged bleeding is described here as a vein, not menstruation.
- Prayer is left when the actual menstruation begins.
- When menstruation ends, the blood is washed away and prayer resumes.
- The woman asked clearly, and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم gave a clear answer.
