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Fatwa CenterTemporary 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 before the period, I saw some red stuff with the toilet paper while wiping off after using the bathroom but 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, not realizing. 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 Muhammad 
is His 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 if the duration is less than thirteen days, then it could be Istihaadhah and it could be menses that is part of the first menstrual cycle.
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 the minimum period of purity, please refer to Fataawa 91444 and 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 is confirmed 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 Hadeeth reported by Imaam Muslim that the Prophet said: "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 as period.”, 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 (into her vagina) a piece of cotton and the like, it will come 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-Nawawi 
said 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 trace of the blood would stain it, whether it is red blood or 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 long as the blood exists in the womb even if it does not come out.
Allaah Knows best.
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