skills/sistani-guidance/references/books/women/pages-001-012.md

# Women's Religious Rules in Simple Language

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## PDF PAGE 1

```text
Women’s Religious Rules
In Simple Language
(Menstruation – Istiḥāḍa - Nifās - Ghusl -
Tayammum)
According to the Verdicts of the Esteemed
Religious Authority
Al-Sayyid Ali al-Husayni al-Sistani
Translated by
Jawid Akbari
```

## PDF PAGE 2

```text
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate the Merciful
```

## PDF PAGE 3

```text
3 | Women’s Religious Rules in Simple Language
In the Name of Allah, the Most High
This treatise Women’s Religious Rules in Simple Language is in
accordance with the verdicts of the esteemed religious authority,
al-Sayyid al-Sistani (may he live long).
(Seal of the Office of al-Sayyid Al-Sistani – Qom)
```

## PDF PAGE 4

```text
Contents
Preface ............................................................................................................ 8
Rules of Menstruation .................................................................................... 9
A Conversation about Menstruation Rules ....................................... 10
Signs of Menstruation ............................................................................. 12
Signs of Istiḥ ā ḍ a ....................................................................................... 12
Ruling on Blood Seen Before 9 and After 60 of Age ....................... 12
Minimum and Maximum Duration of Menstrual Blood ................ 13
Menstruation During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding ...................... 14
Calculating the Days of Menstruation ................................................ 14
Minimum Interval Between Two Menstrual Periods ..................... 15
Types of Menstrual Cycles .................................................................... 15
Examples of the Types of Menstrual Cycles ..................................... 15
Types of Women Without a Regular Menstrual Cycle ................. 16
How to Determine Your Condition ..................................................... 17
Rules for Fixed Time and Duration Cycles ....................................... 17
Rules for Fixed Time Cycles ................................................................. 18
Rules for Fixed Duration Cycles .......................................................... 18
Rules for Mubtadiʾa (First-Time Menstruation) ............................. 19
Ruling on Mistaking Blood for Menstruation .................................. 20
Spotting at the End of Menstruation .................................................. 20
Spotting on Other Days.......................................................................... 21
Checking for the End of Menstruation ............................................... 21
Prohibited Actions for Menstruating Women .................................. 22
Rules of Istiḥ ā ḍ a ........................................................................................... 24
```

## PDF PAGE 5

```text
5 | Women’s Religious Rules in Simple Language
Discussion on the Rules of Istiḥ ā ḍ a .................................................... 25
Minimum and Maximum Duration of Istiḥ ā ḍ a ................................ 25
Types of Istiḥ ā ḍ a ..................................................................................... 25
Light Istiḥ ā ḍ a ........................................................................................... 25
Modium Istiḥ ā ḍ a ...................................................................................... 26
Shared Rules Between Light and Moderate Istiḥ ā ḍ a ..................... 27
Excessive Istiḥ ā ḍ a ................................................................................... 27
Change in the Type of Istiḥ ā ḍ a ............................................................ 28
Stopping Istiḥ ā ḍ a ..................................................................................... 29
Fasting for a Woman with Istiḥ ā ḍ a .................................................... 29
Rules of Nifā s (Postpartum Bleeding) ..................................................... 30
A Conversation about the Rules of Nifā s ........................................... 31
The Ruling on Blood after a Cesarean Section ................................. 31
The Minimum and Maximum Duration of Nifā s ............................. 31
Nifā s Blood Exceeds the Days of Menstrual Habit ......................... 32
Nifā s Blood Temporarily Stops ............................................................ 32
Prolonged Bleeding After Childbirth .................................................. 32
Prohibited Actions for a Woman in Nifā s .......................................... 33
Rules of Ghusl ............................................................................................... 34
A Conversation about the Rules of Ghusl .......................................... 35
Types of Ghusl .......................................................................................... 35
Immersion Ghusl ...................................................................................... 35
Sequential Ghusl....................................................................................... 35
Intention in Ghusl .................................................................................... 36
Performing Ghusl Under a Shower ..................................................... 36
```

## PDF PAGE 6

```text
The Ruling on Bathing Instead of Ghusl ........................................... 36
Washing Inside the Ears and Nose ..................................................... 37
Drying the Body Before Ghusl ............................................................. 37
Washing the Body from Top to Bottom ............................................ 37
Water Flowing from the Head and Neck onto the Body ............... 37
Continuity in Ghusl ................................................................................. 37
Discovering an Obstruction on the Body After Ghusl ................... 38
Ghusl Over a Tattoo ............................................................................... 38
Washing Long Hair ................................................................................. 38
Types of Obligatory Ghusl .................................................................... 38
Ghusls That Have Been Proved to Be Recommended .................... 39
Other Recommended Ghusls ................................................................. 40
Combining Two Obligatory Ghusls .................................................... 40
Sufficiency of a Recommended Ghusl for an Obligatory Ghusl ... 40
Not Doing Ghusl on Purpose or Out of Embarrassment .............. 41
Rules of Tayammum .................................................................................... 42
A Conversation About the Rules of Tayammum ............................. 43
Situations Requiring Tayammum ........................................................ 43
How to Perform Tayammum ................................................................ 43
Intention in Tayammum ........................................................................ 44
Materials Suitable for Tayammum ...................................................... 44
Tayammum with Artificial Nails and Nail Polish ............................ 44
Tayammum with a Ring ......................................................................... 45
Removal of the Excuse During Prayer Time .................................... 45
Tayammum as a Substitute for Ghusl................................................. 45
Tayammum Due to Limited Time ....................................................... 45
```

## PDF PAGE 7

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7 | Women’s Religious Rules in Simple Language
Delaying Prayer........................................................................................ 46
```

## PDF PAGE 8

```text
Preface
One of the physical characteristics of women is having a monthly
period (menstruation). Typically, girls experience their first period
during adolescence, encountering a new physical and emotional state
that may be challenging and bothersome for some. In addition to
menstruation, women also experience other types of bleeding, such as
Istiḥāḍa (irregular blood discharge) and Nifās (postpartum bleeding),
each of which has different religious rulings and conditions that women
are obligated to observe.
Learning the rules of menstruation and Istiḥāḍa is crucial, especially
for young girls who have just reached the age of religious obligation.
This is because their bleeding often lacks regularity, and even if it is
regular, they may suddenly experience spotting or a change in the
timing of their bleeding. If they are not well-versed in the relevant rules,
they may not be able to fulfill their religious duties, leading to potential
difficulties in the future.
While consulting the "Tawdih al-Masa'il" (book of Islamic Laws) is
beneficial for women inasmuch as it answers many of their questions,
its content may not be suitable for young girls, making it difficult for
them to understand their religious duties and how to go about their
current condition.
This book has been compiled to address this issue, focusing on the
essential and commonly encountered issues in simple language, while
avoiding complex, lengthy, and non-practical topics. Since the primary
audience of this book is teenage girls, we decided to present the rules
of the three types of bleeding through a simple conversation between a
mother and her daughter. We hope that Almighty Allah will assist us in
achieving this goal.
```

## PDF PAGE 9

```text
9 | Women’s Religious Rules in Simple Language
Rules of Menstruation
```

## PDF PAGE 10

```text
A Conversation about Menstruation Rules
I was born into a religious family fourteen years ago. Thanks to the
efforts of my father, and especially my mother, I was able to learn many
of the rules of prayer and fasting after reaching the age of religious
obligation. Whenever I had a question, I would ask my mother, and she
would patiently answer each of my queries. My mother's pleasant
demeanor increased my eagerness to learn new things day by day.
Everything was going well until a few days ago when I suddenly felt
severe pain in my side and back. After a few hours, some blood was
discharged from my uterus. I was very worried, thinking I had some
internal injury, but I was too embarrassed to share this with anyone.
After the noon call to prayer, I performed ablution as usual, put on my
prayer veil, and prepared to pray.
Noticing my condition, my mother smiled at me and said, "My dear,
you've grown up now. It's time for us to talk about something
important."
Surprised, I asked, "What is it?"
My mother calmly replied, "Your monthly period."
As soon as I realized what our conversation was about, I was
overwhelmed with modesty and shyness. I recalled hearing this word
before, usually at family gatherings; I had overheard women mention
it quietly and with embarrassment as if it carried a negative meaning. I
took a deep breath and asked myself, "Why should I be embarrassed?
If it's something to be ashamed of, why does my mother want to talk to
me about it?"
Lost in these thoughts, I suddenly heard my mother's voice saying,
"Faṭimah:, please stop being shy and listen carefully to what I have to
say. Usually, every girl experiences menstruation during her teenage
years. This is a completely natural process and indicates good health,
so there's no need to worry. The blood that usually exits a woman's
uterus for a few days each month is called 'Ḥayḍ' (menstruation), and a
woman during menstruation is referred to as 'Ḥāʾiḍ.' Nowadays, women
```

## PDF PAGE 11

```text
11 | Women’s Religious Rules in Simple Language
often use other terms such as 'period' or 'menstrual bleeding' instead of
Ḥayḍ. This blood discharge may be accompanied by symptoms such as
abdominal pain, fatigue, anxiety, and back pain. Out of kindness, Allah,
the Gracious, has exempted women from the obligations of prayer and
making up missed prayers during the days of menstruation, so take
some rest and feel free to ask me any questions you have about this."
```

## PDF PAGE 12

```text
Signs of Menstruation
Faṭimah: What are the signs of menstruation?
Mother: Most of the time, this blood is thick and warm, its color is
black or dark red, and it exits with pressure and a slight burning
sensation.
Signs of Istiḥāḍa
Faṭimah: Besides menstrual blood, can other types of blood discharge
occur in women?
Mother: Yes, women may experience other types of blood discharge,
such as postpartum blood (Nifās) or Istiḥāḍa, which have different
rulings and signs compared to menstrual blood. For instance, Istiḥāḍa
blood is usually yellow or light red, cold, and it exits without pressure
or burning sensation.
Ruling on Blood Seen Before 9 and After 60 of Age
Faṭimah: Can a girl experience menstruation before reaching the age
of religious obligation1?
Mother: No.
Faṭimah: Up to what age can women experience menstruation?
1 The age of religious obligation for girls is at the completion of nine lunar
years, approximately equivalent to eight years, eight months, and twenty days
in the solar calendar.
```