What Is the Minimum Period of Purity Between Menses?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Assalam alaykum,

What is the minimum period of purity between menses according to the Hanafi School? If a woman sees blood before the minimum period, and it has the characteristics of menstrual blood, should she still continue to pray and fast?

Answer: Wa alaykum assalam wa rahmatullah,

The minimum interval of purity which separates between two menstrual periods, or postnatal bleeding and a menstrual period, is fifteen complete days.

The basis is that you should keep track of your habits, for both menses and purity, and then act accordingly—even by consulting if need be.

I would recommend getting hold of Ustadha Hedaya Hartford’s, Coming of Age: A Muslim Girl’s Guide.

[Birgivi, Dhukhr al-Muta‘ahhilin]

And Allah Most High alone knows best.

Wassalam,
[Ustadh] Tabraze Azam

Checked and approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Tabraze Azam was born and raised in Ipswich, England, a quiet town close to the east coast of England. His journey for seeking sacred knowledge began when he privately memorized the entire Qur’an in his hometown at the age of 16. He also had his first experience in leading the tarawih (nightly-Ramadan) prayers at his local mosque. Year after year he would continue this unique return to reciting the entire Quran in one blessed month both in his homeland, the UK, and also in the blessed lands of Shaam, where he now lives, studies and teaches.