Women's Issues

Q: I am a female who normally has both yellow and white vaginal discharge. Scientifically, from what I read, yellow discharge can be a normal discharge for women, and it is simply the vagina cleaning itself. This discharge occurs before and after my menses and well as during my 'pure' days, pretty much all month long, pretty frequently. Until now, I did not consider this my period as it occurs naturally throughout the month and my actual period is very obvious as it very heavy and painful and lasts 8-10 days. Recently, in a fatwa, I read that any color other than white, including yellow means menses, and in another I read that this yellow should only be considered menses if it occurs right before the blood flow. I am confused - is this yellow discharge menses islamically?

If it is, this will make things very difficult for me. Since it occurs nearly all the time, it will occur right after my 15 days of purity, and I will have to consider the week right after it my period. The actual blood flow will start later, and I will have to make ghusl during the days of actual blood flow. Given that my menses flow is consistent and heavy, how do I make ghusl in this case? if I simply shower, the blood will continue to flow and will mix with the water. In fact, no matter how I shower, the water would inevitably run over the blood and over other parts of my body. How do I wash and make ghusl while the blood flows without getting the rest of my body impure?

Also, it seems that the opinion that this discharge is not menses unless accompanied by blood, which is what I have been following my whole life, also seems to appear in the Hanafi fiqh as well as other madhabs. Given the immense difficulty and stress the other position would put me under (especially as I am struggling with OCD regarding impurities and making ghusl with blood running in between my legs would give me major anxiety), am I allowed to carry on with this fiqh position? I am sorry this is very long, however this issue has been given me a huge deal of stress, and will be incredibly difficult for me if this discharge is in fact menses islamically.

Q: I have a few questions regarding figuring out the end of my period.

For the last 10 years, I had been relying on the opinion that once there has been clear discharge/dryness towards the end of one's menses, whatever comes after that in terms of colored discharge should be ignored. I determined my habit according to this rule (when I say dryness once, I considered it the end of my period and ignored what came after).

Recently, I have been told that the colored discharge after menses is also considered menses (up to the 10 day mark) and one must make ghusl accordingly, multiple times when necessary. Is this the correct opinion?

If so, must I re-determine my habit according to this opinion or do I stick with my previous habit?

Lastly, since according to the first opinion, whatever comes after dryness is to be ignored, for the last 10 years I have been doing ghusl only once usually, and not repeating it following colored discharge afterwards. Do I have to make up all the prayers I did in this state for the last 10 years?

Also, the discharge that is after the established habit but before the 10 day mark, is this also menses?

Q: Can a menstuating women attend Tafseer classes held in a Musalla? The Musalla is in a block of flats and all five daily Salaahs are performed including Jummah.

Q: If a woman got her haidh on the 10th of Feb and it ended on the 15th but it was not how she usually experiences her haidh. On the 12th day of her tuhur (28 of Feb), she began bleeding like her normal haidh. Which one will be considered as her haidh and what should she do?

Q: Should I cover my hands with gloves? I am not comfortable with it because my palm get hot and sweaty which makes me irritated. I also dont have any intention of revealing my palm to non maharams intentionally. I try to cover half of my palm as my burkha got a pretty long sleeve to cover half of my palm.

Q: I have a few questions regarding figuring out the end of my period. For the last 10 years, I had been relying on the opinion that once there has been clear discharge/dryness towards the end of one's menses, whatever comes after that in terms of colored discharge should be ignored. I determined my habit according to this rule (when I say dryness once, I considered it the end of my period and ignored what came after). Recently, I have been told that the colored discharge after menses is also considered menses (up to the 10 day mark) and one must make ghusl accordingly, multiple times when necessary. Is this the correct opinion?

If so, must I re-determine my habit according to this opinion or do I stick with my previous habit?

Lastly, since according to the first opinion, whatever comes after dryness is to be ignored, for the last 10 years I have been doing ghusl only once usually, and not repeating it following colored discharge afterwards. Do I have to make up all the prayers I did in this state for the last 10 years?

Q:

والطبيب إنما يجوز له ذلك إذا لم يوجد امرأة طبيبة فلو وجدت فلا يجوز له أن ينظر لأن نظر الجنس إلى الجنس أخف وينبغي للطبيب أن يعلم امرأة إن أمكن وإن لم يكن ستر كل عضو منها سوى موضع الوجع ثم ينظر ويغض ببصره عن غير ذلك الموضع إن استطاع لأن ما ثبت للضرورة يتقدر بقدرها (البحر الرائق 8/352) 

Is it correct to say that it is established from the above text that it is not permissible for a male doctor to look at a female patients awrah if a female doctor is available? 

Q: I have fibroide in my uterus due to which my bleeding is not stopping. I am going for Umrah soon. This condition happened after we booked everything. Now I am really worried whether this falls under a sickness or not? Can I perform umrah in this condition?

Q: Can a women publicly inform her father, son, husband, brother and other close male relatived about her menstruation so they can bring her sanitary napkin (pads) from the shop?

Q: In an Islamic after-school madrasah, boys and girls come to learn how to read the Quran and other essentials of Deen. Male teachers are appointed to teach the boys and female teachers for the girls. However, there is some interaction between males and females and I would like to know the Islamic ruling about that.

1. Is it allowed for male teachers to teach female students who are in their teens or for male teachers to take exams for such students? And can female teachers teach boys who are in their teens?

2. Is it permissible for a male teacher to teach the female teachers tajwid and in particular look at their face uncovered to see if they are reading the letters properly?

3. Is it permissible for male teachers and female teachers to sit together in meetings without any barrier in between?

4. Are male teachers and female teachers allowed to socialise with one another outside of the madrasah hours by going to restaurants etc or have friendly chit-chat and joke with one another?

5. Is it permissible for a male and female teacher to be alone with one another in any part of the madrasah building such as an office or madrasah room, or a corridor where they cannot be seen by anyone else? Is it allowed for a male teacher to be alone with a female teacher in a room with a window where they can be seen by others or where there is a cctv camera?

6. Are male teachers allowed to talk to female parents and vice versa? Please kindly provide answers to the questions above in light of the Hanafi fiqh.