Select a passage to highlight it. Click or tap a highlight to remove it.
Text and translation
English translation
204. It was narrated that 'Āishah said: "Umm Ḥabībah bint Jahsh – the wife of 'Abdur-Raḥmān bin 'Awf and the sister of Zainab bint Jahsh – suffered Istiḥādah (non-menstrual vaginal bleeding)." She said: "She consulted the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ and the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said to her: "That is not menstruation, rather that is a vein. When your period goes, perform Ghusl and pray, and when it comes, stop praying (for that period)."'Āishah said: "She used to perform Ghusl for every prayer and pray. Sometimes she would perform Ghusl in a wash tub in the room of her sister Zainab when she was with the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ and the water would turn red with blood, then she would go out and pray with the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ. That did not stop her from praying." (Sahih)
Your commentary saves automatically in this browser, separate from the published commentary. It stays private unless you include it in a shared study file.
Commentary
1. Umm Habibah's taking a bath for every ritual prayer was due to her own
choice. Allâh's Messenger ﷺ had commanded her to take the purificatory bath at the end of her menstruation. It is possible she might have made a mistake in interpreting the command's meaning, or perhaps she used to take the bath thinking that doing so was, if not obligatory, at least recommended.
2. Umm Habibah's taking of a bath in a tub was in order to observe the blood's tinge in the water, so that she would be able to ascertain whether or not the menses had stopped; otherwise, taking a bath sitting in a tub is against the norm of purification.
