Understanding the Possible Days of Menses Framework
The possible days of menses (PDM) system provides clear guidance for determining when bleeding should be considered menstruation versus abnormal bleeding. This framework operates on three essential rulings that work together to help women navigate uncertain bleeding patterns within their menstrual cycle.
First PDM Ruling: All Blood Within PDM is Menstruation
The Core Principle
Whenever blood is seen within the possible days of menses, it is always considered menstruation. This "whenever blood is seen" rule applies to all colored vaginal discharge other than completely white or clear discharge. There is no consideration for the shade of color, the thickness of the blood, or what symptoms accompany it.
Immediate Consequences
When this ruling applies, two important consequences follow:
- All prohibitions apply immediately - She cannot pray, cannot fast, cannot have sexual intercourse with her husband, and must adhere to all prohibitions like a menstruating woman
- All bleeding within PDM is menstruation - She must always consider any bleeding seen within these days to be menstruation, regardless of whether it is spotting, a full flow, or if it stops and suddenly returns
Case Study: PDM Begins When Blood Appears
Scenario: A woman has a menses habit of 5 days and a purity habit of 25 days. After her menstruation ends, she sees 25 days of purity like her habit, and then bleeding starts on April 20th at 2 pm.
Application:
- On April 20th at 2 pm, she considers this bleeding to be menses because it is seen after her purity habit finishes
- Her possible days of menses start when she sees blood on April 20th at 2 pm, and they end after 10 complete days (240 hours) on April 30th at 2 pm
- Any time she sees bleeding from April 20th 2 pm to April 30th 2 pm, this blood takes the ruling of menstruation
- She is obliged to adhere to the prohibitions until the blood stops within the possible 10 days or the menstrual maximum of 240 hours is reached
Important Note: This is a ruling in the moment, and depending on what happens, there is a chance that this ruling may change in hindsight. The future is unknown, and there is usually no way of determining whether the blood will exceed 10 complete days or stop beforehand until it happens.
Second PDM Ruling: When Blood Stops Before 72 Hours
The 72-Hour Minimum Rule
Whenever blood stops before 3 complete days (72 hours) within the possible days of menses, it is ruled as abnormal bleeding (istiḥāḍa), and a woman is obliged to make wuḍūʾ and pray.
Key Definitions
"Stops" means that there is no sighting of colored vaginal discharge. When a woman checks her kursuf, she sees white discharge, clear discharge, or no discharge. She is also reasonably certain that the bleeding will not return.
"Before 3 complete days" means that from the onset of blood to the time it stops, the duration is less than 72 hours. The blood did not meet the stipulated menstrual minimum. Consequently, this blood is now considered unsound blood (istiḥāḍa) in retrospect.
Important: Istiḥāḍa does not require a ghusl when it stops, but rather it requires wuḍūʾ before praying.
Case Study: Blood Stops Before 72 Hours
Scenario: Building on the previous situation, on April 22nd at 2 pm, the blood stops.
Calculation and Ruling:
- When the amount of time from April 20th 2 pm to April 22nd 2 pm is calculated, it is apparent that the menstrual bleeding only lasted 48 hours
- The bleeding is less than 3 complete days (72 hours), and it is now ruled as abnormal bleeding (istiḥāḍa) in retrospect
- She must make wuḍūʾ and resume praying
- She also makes up the prayers missed on April 20th to April 22nd
Process for Handling Blood That Stops Before 72 Hours
If a woman thinks that her bleeding will stop before the menstrual minimum of 72 hours, she must follow this four-step process:
Step 1: Delay Praying Strategically
She delays praying until closer to the end of the prayer time. She delays praying just in case the bleeding returns. She delays it to the extent that she has enough time to make wuḍūʾ and pray before the prayer time exits. She should not miss the prayer of that time if it is confirmed that her bleeding has stopped.
For the ʿAṣr prayer time specifically, she delays praying until closer to the end of the preferred prayer time.
Step 2: Make Up All Missed Prayers
She must make up all the prayers missed for the days that were assumed to be menses. In retrospect, because the bleeding stopped before the menstrual minimum of 72 hours, what she saw is ruled as abnormal uterine bleeding (istiḥāḍa). Since istiḥāḍa does not prohibit the actions that sound blood prohibits, she owes the performance of the missed prayers in hindsight.
She is not sinful for missing these prayers because she had a valid excuse.
Step 3: Monitor for 15-Day Purity Span
Note if the bleeding is followed by a purity span of at least 15 complete days (360 hours). If the blood does not return within the possible days of menses and a purity span of at least 15 complete days (360 hours) free of blood follows it, this blood is ruled as abnormal uterine bleeding (istiḥāḍa) with certainty.
She continues to pray her prayers and fast if it is Ramaḍān because she is not seeing any blood.
Step 4: Consider Any Returning Blood as Menses
Consider any blood that returns within the possible days of menses to be menses. If the blood returns within the 10 possible days of menses, based on the first PDM ruling, the reappearance of blood will take the ruling of menstruation.
Any time blood is seen within the possible days of menses, it is ruled as menses.
Third PDM Ruling: When Blood Stops At or After 72 Hours
The Confirmation Rule
Whenever blood stops at 3 complete days (72 hours) or more within the possible days of menses, it is ruled as menstruation (ḥayḍ), and a woman is obliged to take a ghusl and pray.
Key Definitions
"Stops" means that there is no sighting of colored vaginal discharge. When a woman checks her kursuf, she sees white discharge, clear discharge, or no discharge. She is also reasonably certain that the bleeding will not return.
"At 3 complete days" means that from the onset of blood to the time it stops, the duration is at least 72 hours. The blood met the menstrual minimum. So, menstruation is confirmed with certainty.
"Ghusl" refers to the purificatory shower that removes a person from major ritual impurity. It is obligatory to take a ghusl when menstrual bleeding either stops within the 10 possible days or the menstrual maximum of 10 complete days (240 hours) is reached.
Consequences of Meeting the Menstrual Minimum
When bleeding meets or exceeds the 72-hour minimum, three important consequences follow:
- Definitive menstruation ruling - The blood she is seeing is definitely ruled as menstruation. Even if the blood surpasses 10 complete days, part of the overall bleeding will be ruled as menstruation
- No prayer makeup required - She is not required to make up any missed prayers due to menstruation, but she must make up her missed fasts if the menses occurred during Ramaḍān
- Ghusl requirement - Whenever this bleeding stops, she is required to take a ghusl before she begins praying
Case Study: Blood Stops After 72 Hours
Scenario: A woman has a menses habit of 4 days and a purity habit of 30 days. After her menstruation ends, she sees 30 days of purity like her habit, and then bleeding starts on June 10th at 6 pm.
Timeline and Application:
- On June 10th at 6 pm, she considers this bleeding to be menses because it is seen after her purity habit finishes. She stops praying and acts like a menstruating woman
- Her possible days of menses start when she sees blood on June 10th at 6 pm, and they end after 10 complete days (240 hours) on June 20th at 6 pm
- Any time she sees bleeding from June 10th 6 pm to June 20th 6 pm, this blood takes the ruling of menstruation
- She is obliged to adhere to the prohibitions for menstruation until the blood stops within the possible 10 days or the menstrual maximum of 240 hours is reached
- Critical point: When her blood reaches 3 complete days (72 hours) on June 13th at 6 pm, menstruation is confirmed with certainty
- Any time the blood stops thereafter, she must take a ghusl before starting to pray again
- On June 15th at 6 pm, her blood stops after 5 complete days
- She takes a ghusl and begins praying
- If the bleeding does not return and a purity span of at least 15 complete days (360 hours) free of blood follows it, her menses habit changes to 5 complete days
Practical Application and Timing
Not every woman will need to apply these PDM rulings. For some women, when their menses starts, they experience a steady menstrual flow from beginning to end. For others, they see random spotting, and these PDM rulings may be applicable for their situation.
Understanding these three essential rulings for possible days of menses helps women navigate uncertain bleeding patterns with confidence, knowing exactly when to treat bleeding as menstruation and when to recognize it as abnormal bleeding requiring different ritual obligations.
Conclusion
The possible days of menses framework with its 72-hour minimum and 10-day maximum provides clear guidance for handling uncertain bleeding. The three rulings work together: all blood within PDM is initially considered menstruation, blood stopping before 72 hours becomes abnormal bleeding requiring prayer makeup, and blood lasting 72 hours or more confirms menstruation requiring ghusl. These case studies demonstrate how to apply these rulings practically in real-life situations.
