Women's Issues

Different colour discharges during haidh

Q: My question is the following: When I embraced Islam I was explained that end of the period is when you see no more reddish discharges. Then after some years I met one young hanafi alim and she told me that there are different ways how to determine end of the period. First is, if during your normal days you have no discharges (yellow or white, etc), then when you have your period you must wait for all discharges to finish, no matter they are reddish or just yellow or white etc, but within 10 days only. Second is, if you during your normal days you have some discharges, then you determine end of your period when you see such discharge, meaning if during normal days you have yellow-white discharges, then as soon as you see the same color of discharges close to you period, let’s say after reddish discharges, then as soon as you see them you can take ghusl and start salah. When I received all this information I choose option number 1, because I thought I had no discharges during normal days. I am quite sure I tried to be very careful about my decision on which way to choose. But now, after a year and a half and am looking back and having doubts. I remember that last Ramadan I was inserting cotton balls inside (I didn’t know at that time that it breaks ones fasting and one alim told me I don’t have to repeat my fasts) before every salah. I am thinking now trying to remember why I was doing it. If I was doing it because I was afraid to have discharges during salah and avoid to make new wudu all the time then does it mean I have to count how many salahs I missed due to wrong determination of the end of my period? Because obviously I missed few days if I was waiting for 10 days to let all discharges pass, even yellow, even white… But the thing is, I am not sure anymore why I was inserting cotton balls, I think it was to prevent discharges of desire to break my wudu, because I am not married and could have them anytime even if one sexual thought passed my mind for a second, I think I was mixing normal lubrication with discharge of desire and was securing myself too much with cotton balls. Having almost all the time cotton balls inside 5 times a day it probably didn’t give me opportunity to see if I had normal discharges during that time so that I could determine end of my period differently. But even here I am not sure, because obviously for night I was taking them out (even though at night usually no discharge appear because simply they don’t flow good in a sleeping position, but still can happen when they are there), so I really don’t remember how often I had the balls inside, the reason and was I determining my end of period correctly or not, I also don’t remember for how long all this happened, years or months. So what should I do know, should I start making qazas for salahs I might have missed? And how to count how many in case I have to do it?

Wearing Hijaab

Q: I live in Norway and go to school there. I have worn the hijab for about 5 years now. Some days are easier then others and I feel the hijab is the best choice. But now it is restricting me from so many things here and it is attracting many comments both from believers and non believers. My question is, is it valid for me to wear it even though I don't want to. Is hijab a fard for a Muslim woman, even if I would dress modestly? I need some guidance towards this. May Allah help us all!

Observing purda with one's sister in-law

Q: I am a Muslim sister who wears hijab and I try my best to practise my faith in the best way I can. I am married but due to circumstances surrounding our jobs, we are currently living apart but meet nearly every month for a week or so the situation will get better I am keeping sabr. My husband lives with his mother, sister, brother and brothers wife, in Dubai they are practising Muslims. My husband being the active and more free of others after with often takes his sister mother and mother in law out to places like dinner, dessert etc they all talk and enjoy each other's company. From my heart I feel that it isn't right for him to take his sister in law. My brother in law keeps to his friends and doesn't take his wife out they had an arranged marriage and have one child but don't seem to be in love like my husband and I are. I would like to know whether I stand correct to inform my husband to stop taking sister in law out even with family. My sister in law is younger then me and is rather attractive, she does have nice aklaaq but I just don't feel it's safe whilst I live away from him. Please let me know of your response.

Nifaas

Q: Beheshti zewar does not mention regarding the case where a lady in nifaas experiences a situation as follows: (similar to haiz masla) -

A lady has a habit of 30 days nifaas (last childbirth)

- After eg 20 days the bleeding stops. She has a bath and begins performing salaah.

1) Is this correct?

- after 36 days she starts bleeding again. She stops her salaah again.

2. would this be haiz or nifaas bleeding?

- thereafter the bleeding stops only on the 42nd day.

In the situation where this is nifaas bleeding, but has now gone over 40 days, so this now would be Istihadha and she would look at her habit of 30 days, but she had stopped reading salah when she bled again on the 36th, thinking it might still be nifaas.

2) Is it correct to say that she will only have to make Qadha from the 36th to the 40th?

Irregular bleeding

Q:

1. For bleeding to be haiz, does it have to flow continuously for 3 days and 3 nights?

2. Will it be haiz if it stops for the duration of 1 or 2 salaah periods and starts again and lasts for more than 3 days and nights?

3. If I experience only traces of blood which is not continuous for 3 days and nights and every month I also experience continuous bleeding for 10 days, which one should I regard as haiz?

Hijaab in front of non-Muslim women

Q: Please advise if necessary to wear hijaab in front of non-Muslim females. Verse in surah noor refers to "their women" is this interpreted as Muslim women? Also, why are slaves mahram? Is this only slaves who are old? Kindly provide full explanation of the verse. Lastly, should we maintain hijab in front of male mahrams who are non-muslims?