How Can I Know the End of My Menstrual Period?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question

If there is no actual stain on a pad (for a long while) but inserting a white tissue at the opening yields patches of pink or red, is that still considered a part of menstruation?

Answer

The manner of determining the end of your menstrual period is by inserting a folded piece of tissue paper (kursuf) between the inner labial lips approximately ninety minutes before the end of the prayer time. If you see clear or white discharge upon removal, approximately fifteen to twenty minutes before the end of the prayer time, your menstrual period has ended, and you should perform the ritual bath and pray.

There are also two things to note here: (1) if the prayer is ‘Asr, you should do this process with enough time such that you complete the prayer before the disliked time; and (2) the specific period of time required by a lady to both determine the end of her menstrual period and subsequently bathe is going to vary, thus the figures above are averages and not legal requirements.

[Birgivi, Dhukhr al-Muta’ahhilin]

Please also see:

How Can I Judge When My Menstrual Period Has Ended? and: Discolored Menstrual Blood & When To Stop Praying

And Allah Most High alone knows best.

Wassalam,
[Ustadh] Tabraze Azam
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Tabraze Azam holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Leicester, where he also served as the President of the Islamic Society. He memorised the entire Qur’an in his hometown of Ipswich at the tender age of sixteen, and has since studied the Islamic Sciences in traditional settings in the UK, Jordan and Turkey. He is currently pursuing advanced studies in Jordan, where he is presently based with his family.