How can a woman determine that her period has ended so that she can pray?

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: when a woman menstruates, her period is over
when the blood stops, regardless of whether the blood was a lot or a little. Many
fuqahaa’ stated that the shortest length of a woman’s period is a day and a
night, and the longest is fifteen days.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said there
was no minimum or maximum for it; when the bleeding is present with its distinct
qualities, this is menstruation, whether it is a little or a lot. He said:

“Menstruation (al-hayd): Allaah has attached numerous
rulings to it in the Qur’aan and Sunnah, but He did not state the shortest or longest
length (of a menstrual period), or the length of the period of tahaarah between two
menstrual periods, even though the need to know that exists.”

Then he said:

“Some of the scholars defined a maximum and minimum, but they
differed concerning that, and some stated a maximum length without defining a minimum. The
third view is most correct, which states that there is no minimum or maximum.”

(Majmoo’ al-Fataawaa, 19/237)

Secondly: There is a kind of bleeding which is called
“al-istihaadah”, [irregular, non-menstrual vaginal bleeding] which is
different from menstrual bleeding. It is governed by rulings which differ from those
governing menstruation. This blood (istihaadah) may be distinguished from the blood
of menstruation by the following:

Colour: menstrual blood is black [dark red] whilst the blood of
istihaadah is red.

Consistency: menstrual blood is thick and heavy, whilst the blood of
istihaadah is thin.

Smell: menstrual blood has an offensive odour whilst the blood of
istihaadah does not, because it comes from an ordinary vein.

Clotting: menstrual blood does not clot when it comes out of the body
whilst the blood of istihaadah does clot because it comes from a vein.

These are the characteristics of menstrual blood, so if this
description fits the blood that is coming out, it is hayd (menstruation); ghusl is waajib
(obligatory) and this blood is naajis (impure), but ghusl is not required in the case of
istihaadah.

When a woman has her period she is not allowed to pray, but when the
bleeding is istihaadah, that is not the case. But she has to be careful and has to do
wudoo’ for each prayer if the flow of blood continues to the next prayer. If blood
comes out whilst she is praying, it does not matter.

Thirdly; a woman can know that her period has ended by two things:

The white discharge which comes from the womb to show that the period is
over.

Complete dryness, if a woman does not have this white discharge. In this
case she can find out if her period has ended by inserting a piece of white cotton or
something similar into the place where the blood comes from; if it comes out clean, then
her period is over and she has to do ghusl and pray. If the cloth comes out red, yellow or
brown, she should not pray.

The women used to send small containers in which were these cloths with
traces of yellow on them to ‘Aa’ishah, and she would say, “Do not hasten
until you see the white discharge.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari mu’allaqan.
Kitaab al-Hayd, Baab iqbaal al-muhayd wa idbaarihi. Also by Maalik, 130).

But if there is a yellow or brownish discharge when a
woman does not have her period, this does not mean anything and she should not stop
praying or do ghusl because of it, because it does not necessitate ghusl or cause janaabah
(impurity).

Umm ‘Atiyyah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “We did
not bother about any yellow or brownish discharge after a woman’s period was
over.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, 307. It was also narrated by al-Bukhaari, 320,
but he did not mention “after a woman’s period was over.”)

“We did not bother about” means we did not
think it was menstruation, but it is a naajis (impure) discharge which means that a
woman has to wash it away and do wudoo’. But if the white discharge is immediately
followed by a period, then it is part of the period.

Fourthly: if a woman believes that her period has ended, then she
starts bleeding again, if the blood has the characteristics of menstrual blood as
described above, then this is menstrual bleeding, otherwise it is istihaadah.

If it is the former, she should not pray. If it is the latter, she
should be careful and do wudoo’ for each prayer, then pray.

Concerning the brownish discharge, if she sees this after her period
has ended, then the ruling is that it is taahir (pure), but it requires her to do
wudoo’ only. But if she sees it during the time of her period, then it comes under
the rulings of menstruation.

And Allaah knows best.