Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh, 

If the woman thinks that her period is over (based on seeing white discharge) and then the husband sleeps with her and after this she notices some brown/yellow discharge, what is the Islamic ruling regarding this situation? 

Jazakum Allah kheir. Assalamu alaikum.

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Grantor of Mercy

All praise belongs to Allah, and may prayers and peace be upon His final Messenger.

The discharge associated with menstruation or post-natal bleeding may be similar to that you see outside of the period, or it could look different. If it is similar, you should not count it as part of the period or post-natal bleeding. If it is different, then it either occurs after or before the period of menstruation or post-natal bleeding. If it occurs before, it is not part of it. If it occurs after, then it is part of it and you should continue to abstain from fasting and praying until this discharge ceases. The position adopted here is that of Abu Thawr and it is also Abu Yusuf’s position concerning turbid (cloudy, opaque, and/or thick) discharge.

If this discharge is unlike your random vaginal discharge that you see between periods, count it as part of your menstrual period. A woman incurs no sin by having conjugal relations (after seeing the white discharge). But once she has noticed a colored discharge, she should abstain from conjugal relations, as well as from praying and fasting, as long as she sees that discharge.

Allah knows best.

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