3/14. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 334b — Long-Term Istihadah
The ghusl and the prayer of a woman who is suffering prolonged vaginal bleeding (istihadah)
Long-Term Istihadah: Not Menstruation but a Vein
Sahih Muslim : 334b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 334b
وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ الْمُرَادِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْحَارِثِ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، وَعَمْرَةَ بِنْتِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّ أُمَّ حَبِيبَةَ بِنْتَ جَحْشٍ - خَتَنَةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَتَحْتَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ - اسْتُحِيضَتْ سَبْعَ سِنِينَ فَاسْتَفْتَتْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّ هَذِهِ لَيْسَتْ بِالْحَيْضَةِ وَلَكِنَّ هَذَا عِرْقٌ فَاغْتَسِلِي وَصَلِّي " . قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ فَكَانَتْ تَغْتَسِلُ فِي مِرْكَنٍ فِي حُجْرَةِ أُخْتِهَا زَيْنَبَ بِنْتِ جَحْشٍ حَتَّى تَعْلُوَ حُمْرَةُ الدَّمِ الْمَاءَ . قَالَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ فَحَدَّثْتُ بِذَلِكَ أَبَا بَكْرِ بْنَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ فَقَالَ يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ هِنْدًا لَوْ سَمِعَتْ بِهَذِهِ الْفُتْيَا وَاللَّهِ إِنْ كَانَتْ لَتَبْكِي لأَنَّهَا كَانَتْ لاَ تُصَلِّي .
A'isha Narrated from:
Umm Habiba b. Jahsh who was the sister-in-law of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and the wife of 'Abd al-Rahman b. Auf, remained mustahada for seven years, and she, therefore, asked for the verdict of Shari'ah from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about it The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: This is not menstruation, but (blood from) a vein: so bathe yourself and offer prayer.'A'isha said: She took a bath in the wash-tub placed in the apartment of her sister Zainab b. Jahsh, till the redness of the blood came over the water. Ibn Shihab said: I narrated it to Abu Bakr b. 'Abd al-Rahman b. al-Harith b. Hisham about it who observed: May Allah have mercy on Hinda! would that she listened to this verdict. By Lord, she wept for not offering prayer.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 334bIn-book reference : Book 3, Hadith 78USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 3, Hadith 655
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 334b
This Hadith gives a fuller report about Umm Habiba bint Jahsh and long-term istihadah. She experienced bleeding for seven years and asked the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم about it. He said it was not menstruation, but blood from a vein, and told her to bathe and offer prayer. A’isha also described how Umm Habiba took a bath in a wash-tub, with redness of blood appearing in the water. The narration then mentions Hinda, who had wept because she was not offering prayer, and a statement of mercy for her after hearing this verdict. For readers searching “istihadah prayer hadith,” the point is the clear difference between menstruation and this type of bleeding.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Hadith describes Umm Habiba’s bleeding as lasting seven years.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said it was not menstruation but a vein.
- The instruction in the text is to bathe and pray.
