Assalamu alaikum,

I had the hormonal IUD inserted as a means of birth control. This hormonal device was recommended by my ob/gyn instead of the copper, non-hormonal one because she says that, for several medical reasons, I am at a higher risk of uterine cancer and I need the hormones released by the IUD to counteract this higher risk. I did experience bleeding immediately afterwards, but I expected that and did not stop praying, as this bleeding was a result of blood being displaced from the uterus and was, insha’Allah, not my period. I did get my period as expected a week later, but the bleeding has not stopped since, and it's been about six weeks now.

After the second week of bleeding, I called my doctor (a non-Muslim) and she said this was normal and women can bleed continuously because of the hormones in the IUD for six weeks, and sometimes more. Then I spoke to a Muslim sister in my community who is, masha’Allah, knowledgeable in Muslim manners and gives us our halaqa (study circle) here, and she said to not pray as long as I am still bleeding. After the third week of continuous bleeding from the day I inserted the IUD, there was one day when I saw no bleeding, so I did ghusl (the bath of purification) and started praying. That same day, my bleeding returned, but I looked upon it as istihada (non-menstrual bleeding), and I continued praying. I have been praying for two weeks now, even though I am in my fifth week of bleeding since the insertion of the IUD. I was told that after being in istihada for 15 days, if I'm still bleeding after the 15th day, then it is considered a period again, so I stopped praying and am now in my sixth week of bleeding. But now I am confused after reading similar fatwas on this website saying that I have to have a period for 6-7 days and then pray, but how long should I pray for, three weeks after the week of my period or for only 15 days?

Please forgive me for my long explanation, and please advise me about what to do now and for the coming months, insha’Allah. Also, if I have made a mistake and not prayed when I was supposed to pray, do I need to make up all my prayers? Wa jazakum Allahu khairan.

Alhamdu-li-llah wa as-Salatu wa as-Salamu 'ala Rasool-il-llah,

The issues of hayd are controversial, and I will attempt to give you the stronger answer according to my own judgment.

Hayd (menses) is the natural flow of blood from the womb occurring approximately monthly in post-menarcheal women.

If the bleeding exceeds the longest duration of hayd, it is considered istihadah, which is irregular vaginal bleeding that is caused by a vein called al-'Adhil, or for any other reason. 

It appears from the above that we need to first determine the longest duration of hayd. This is widely controversial, and the Hanafi position of ten days seems to be the strongest.

Then, based on our selection of the Hanafi position here, if your bleeding lasts more than ten days, you will not consider it hayd. (Postpartum bleeding is different and may last up to sixty days.)

If a woman had regular periods, and then they became irregular and exceeded the longest duration of hayd, or if she was never regular and now her periods are longer than the longest duration of hayd, she will belong to one of the following three categories:

I.     She knows the difference between her menstrual and non-menstrual blood.

II.    She can't distinguish the two types from each other, nor can an expert do that, but she remembers her previous habit.

III.   She can neither sort out the two types of blood (or they happened to be the same type), nor can she remember her previous habit (or she didn't have one).

I.       She knows the difference between the menstrual blood, which is:

1.     black [dark red] in color,

2.     thick and heavy in consistency,

3.     it has a distinct smell, 

4.     and it doesn't clot.

Then, she will consider that bleeding her hayd and the other type, which is lighter and thinner, her period of tuhr (purity), which should be no less than fifteen days according to the stronger position, which also happens to be the majority position.

That is because, when Fatimah bint Abi Hubaish had a prolonged flow of blood, the Prophet told her:

«إِنَّ دَمَ الْحَيْضِ دَمٌ أَسْوَدُ يُعْرَفُ، فَإِذَا كَانَ ذَلِكَ فَأَمْسِكِي عَنْ الصَّلاةِ وَإِذَا كَانَ الآخَرُ فَتَوَضَّئِي وَصَلِّي، فإنما ذَلِك عِرْقٌ ».

"If it is the blood of menstruation, it will be dark and recognizable. If it is that, then leave the prayer. If it is other than that, then make ablution and pray, for it is only due to a vein."

[Al-Nasa'i]

II.      She can't distinguish one type from the other, nor can an expert. In such a case, she will try to depend on her previous habit, and avoid praying and fasting the number of days every month that she used to experience hayd, and then resume her acts of worship.

This is because 'A'ishah, the wife of the Prophet (r), said: Umm Habibah bint Jahsh complained to the Messenger of Allah (s) about excessive bleeding, and he said to her:

«دَعِي الصَّلاةَ قَدْرَ الأَيَّامِ الَّتِي كُنْتِ تَحِيضِينَ فِيهَا ثُمَّ اغْتَسِلِي وَصَلِّي»

"Remain away from prayer equal to the length of time you used to menstruate.  After this, bathe yourself and pray." 

[Bukhari]

Note: the Hanbali position gives precedence to the normal period over the ability to distinguish. The position mentioned here is the Shafi'i one.

III.     She can neither distinguish between the two types of blood (or they happened to be a single type), nor can she remember her previous habit (or she didn't have one). In this case, she may consider her bleeding as hayd for six to seven days, and fast and pray for the rest of the month.

This is because the Prophet (s) said to Hamnah bint Jahsh:

«فَتَحَيَّضِي سِتَّةَ أَيَّامٍ أَوْ سَبْعَةَ أَيَّامٍ فِي عِلْمِ اللهِ ثُمَّ اغْتَسِلِي حَتَّى إِذَا رَأَيْتِ أَنَّكِ قَدْ طَهُرْتِ ‏ ‏وَاسْتَنْقَأْتِ ‏ ‏فَصَلِّي ثَلاثًا وَعِشْرِينَ لَيْلَةً أَوْ أَرْبَعًا وَعِشْرِينَ لَيْلَةً وَأَيَّامَهَا وَصُومِي، فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ ‏ ‏يُجْزِيكِ وَكَذَلِكَ فَافْعَلِي فِي كلِّ شَهْرٍ كَمَا تَحِيضُ النِّسَاءُ وَكَمَا يَطْهُرْنَ مِيقَاتُ حَيْضِهِنَّ وَطُهْرِهِنَّ»

"Observe your menses for six or seven days, Allah alone knows which it should be; then wash. And when you see that you are purified and quite clean, pray for twenty three or twenty four days and nights and fast, for that will be enough for you, and do so every month, just as women menstruate and are purified at the time of their menstruation and their purification."

[Abu Dawood]

It is the Hanbali position to consider a woman’s normal period as indicated in this hadith. Others don't consider it, but the hadith is on the Hanbali side here.

Note that there is no consensus in these matters, and you may get a very large number of diverse answers to these questions. It is important to know that your responsibility is to invest a reasonable effort in seeking the correct answer that you think will be more pleasing to Allah because it is more supported – in your assessment – by the proofs of the Quran and Sunnah. This can be done, in the first place, by asking those whose piety and knowledge have earned your trust. Thereafter, you will not need to make up for any missed prayers even if you happened to change your position based on new knowledge you acquire. If, however, you didn't ask or you were reckless in asking those who lack knowledge, you must make them up. The position you were advised of when you first asked is the one chosen by Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, and it has some merit and strength. Therefore, you do not need to repeat the prayers you missed.