Question:
My friend is in problem. She is to face the menstrual period abnormality. Actually her menstrual cycle repeats after every seven days instead of one month or 28 days. Doctors say that it is hormonal imbalance and has no proper cure. Now the question is that whether she can offer her prayers or not? I mean she feels that she must offer her prayers. What do you say? Pls answer me soon. She is much confused. May Allah be pleased with you.
Fatwa:
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.
If a woman has blood discharges which do not stop after fifteen days or continue for a period of more than fifteen days, then it is bleedings outside her normal menses, and such a woman should rely on her normal menses if she has any. Therefore, she should refrain from praying and fasting and after this period, she should perform Ghusl (ritual bath) and then perform the prayer.
However, if her menses continue and she does not have a fixed period of menstruation, but she may distinguish between the types of blood, as the blood of menses is black and thick and has a smell, and causes some pain to the woman, in such a case she should rely on her distinction of the types of blood.
Nonetheless, if she has no monthly periods or she cannot distinguish between the types of blood, in this case she should do like other women in her case, like her sister or her mother, and then she should purify herself after that period and perform the prayer and fast.
Fatwa answered by: The Fatwa Center at Islamweb