Fathwa - Temporary cessation of blood within menses is not purity

Question
Assalmualicum, I got my menses at least 8 days prior to my regular
schedule. 2-3 days beforethe period, I saw some red stuff with the
toilet paper while wiping off after using the bathroombut nothing on
my clothes. I thought this must not be the period since my period is
pretty regular. I also continued praying and also had relationship
with my husband, and that same night, period came gushing out. That
makes me think, that I was in period since 2-3 days, notrealizing. But
I also have heard that period has to be seen outside in order to be
considered as period. Are we sinful for that. What should I do,since I
feel very uncomfortable about what happened. Please advise. Jazak
Allah khair kaseerah.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that
MuhammadisHis slave and Messenger.
First of all, we say that the premature bleeding before its usual time
could be menses and it could be Istihaadhah (bleeding outside the
monthly periods) depending on the duration between it and the end of
the previous menstrual cycle. If you had bleeding after thirteen days
of purity from the last menstrual cycle, then it is considered as
menses even if you had this discharge at a time other than its usual
time, and ifthe duration is less than thirteen days, then it could be
Istihaadhah andit could be menses that is part of the first
menstrualcycle.
What we have mentioned here that the minimum period of purity between
two menstrual periods is thirteen days is the view of the Hanbali
School of jurisprudence, but the view of the majority of the scholars
is that the minimum period of purity between two menstrual periods is
fifteen days. For more benefit on the maximum period of menses and
theminimum period of purity, please refer to Fataawa 91444and 98693.
As regards whether or not you are sinful, if you did not know the
ruling, then you are not sinful, Allaah willing, even if it
isconfirmed that what you saw was menses since you had no intention of
doing anything wrong. Allaah says (what means):{And there is no blame
upon you for that in which you have erred but [only for] what your
hearts intended. And ever is Allaah Forgiving and Merciful.}[Quran
33:5] Allaah also says (what means) {"Our Lord,do not impose blame
upon us if we have forgotten or erred.}[Quran 2:286] It is confirmed
in the Hadeethreported byImaam Muslimthat the Prophetsaid: "Allaah
said (in response to this): "I have indeed done so." Another Hadeeth
reads: "Allaah has forgiven my nation things they do by mistake, by
forgetfulness and things that they do by coercion." [Ibn Maajah, Ibn
Hibbaan and others]
In regard to what you heard that "the period has to be seen outside in
order to be considered asperiod.", then this is true in general, as it
is not ruled that a woman is in menses unless she sees the blood. But
the menstrual blood gathers in the womb and then the womb pushes it
out gradually, and there are intervals between one gush and another,
but it [the blood] still exists in the womb in a way that if a woman
inserted (intoher vagina) a piece of cotton and the like, it willcome
out stained with blood or with reddish or yellowish traces. This
interruption in bleeding is called by the jurists the Fatrah
(cessation of blood) but it does not mean purity; rather, it is menses
because purity is when the woman is totally pure and clean.
An-Nawawisaid about the difference between the Fatrah and purity: "The
menstrual blood gathers in the womb and then the womb drips it out
little by little, so the Fatrah is the time between the end of a flow
and the appearance of another flow from the womb to its outside and
what exceeds this interruption is the purity...... I say the correct
opinion that is adopted (by our Shaafi'i School) regarding the
difference (between the two cases) is that the Fatrah is the time
when the flow of blood stops but its trace remains in a way that if a
woman inserts a piece of cotton into her vagina, the traceof the blood
would stain it, whether it is red bloodor yellowish or brownish,this
is definitely menstruation whether (its period) is long or short. The
purity is when she inserts a cotton (into her vagina) and it comes out
white; this is the criterion given by Ash-Shaafi'i." [End quote]
Therefore, you should know that if a woman sees the blood, then her
menses has started, and if its flow stops during the time period of
menses, it is not considered purity as longas the blood exists in the
womb even if it does not come out.
Allaah Knows best.