Short answer
Istihadah is bleeding that is not a period or postnatal bleeding, for example bleeding under 3 days or beyond 10 days. A woman with istihadah prays and fasts. If it is continuous, she makes wudu once in each prayer time and may pray all she wants in that time.
Istihadah is like a nosebleed: it breaks wudu but does not stop prayer, fasting or intercourse. If the bleeding lasts through a whole prayer time without a break long enough for wudu and the fard prayer, she becomes ma'dhur (excused): one wudu per prayer time, which ends when the time ends.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- She makes a fresh wudu for each obligatory prayer, not each prayer time, and prays straight after it.
- Maliki
- Ongoing istihadah does not break wudu; renewing it for each prayer is recommended.
Explanation
Fatimah bint Abi Hubaysh told the Prophet ﷺ that she bled and did not become pure. He told her it was from a vein, not menstruation: leave the prayer during your period, then wash and pray, and make wudu for each prayer until that time comes again. This is the basis of istihadah.
Bleeding is istihadah when it is:
- under 3 days in total;
- beyond 10 days, after the habit days (see period over 10 days);
- less than 15 days after a period ended;
- during pregnancy;
- beyond 40 days after childbirth.
How to pray when it is continuous:
- Wait for the prayer time to begin.
- Wash the area, use a pad, then make wudu.
- Pray the fard, sunnah and any extra prayers you want in that time.
- That wudu stays valid until the time ends, even if blood flows, unless something else breaks it, such as using the toilet.
- Make a fresh wudu in the next prayer time.
You become excused once the bleeding has filled one complete prayer time without a gap long enough for wudu and prayer. You stay excused as long as it appears at least once in each later prayer time. A whole prayer time free of it ends the excuse. Blood on clothes from ongoing istihadah does not need washing before each prayer if it would soil them again straight away.
Fasting, reading Quran and intercourse are all allowed during istihadah. See how to make wudu.
Ask a mufti about your own case. This answer explains the general ruling. When the details of your situation matter, as they do here, ask a qualified mufti and give them the full facts. Where to ask a scholar.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Hajj 22:78
وَجَٰهِدُوا۟ فِى ٱللَّهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِۦ ۚ هُوَ ٱجْتَبَىٰكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍۢ ۚ مِّلَّةَ أَبِيكُمْ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ ۚ هُوَ سَمَّىٰكُمُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ مِن قَبْلُ وَفِى هَٰذَا لِيَكُونَ ٱلرَّسُولُ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْكُمْ وَتَكُونُوا۟ شُهَدَآءَ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ ۚ فَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱعْتَصِمُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ هُوَ مَوْلَىٰكُمْ ۖ فَنِعْمَ ٱلْمَوْلَىٰ وَنِعْمَ ٱلنَّصِيرُ ﴿٧٨﴾
And strive for Allah with the striving due to Him. He has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty. [It is] the religion of your father, Abraham. Allah named you "Muslims" before [in former scriptures] and in this [revelation] that the Messenger may be a witness over you and you may be witnesses over the people. So establish prayer and give zakah and hold fast to Allah. He is your protector; and excellent is the protector, and excellent is the helper.
The excuse rules for ongoing bleeding follow the principle of ease.
Sahih al-Bukhari 228
Sahih... ثم توضئي لكل صلاة حتى يجيء ذلك الوقت ...
"Then make wudu for every prayer until that time comes."
The basis for wudu per prayer time for a woman with istihadah.
Where the ruling is recorded
- Nur al-Idah with Maraqi al-Falah, Chapter on menstruation, postnatal bleeding and istihadah, and the excused person. Conditions for becoming and remaining ma'dhur.
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Taharah, chapter on menstruation and istihadah. The woman with istihadah makes wudu for each prayer time.
- Minhaj al-Talibin, Kitab al-Hayd. Shafi'i: wudu for each obligatory prayer.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.