Title: Regarding Sala'h Missed due to Menstruation Question: Firstly, I am so glad that I am finally able to post a question after several weeks of trying! I have innumerable questions that I would like to ask but I will concentrate on a few due to the circumstances. I have been menstruating for over a month (I haven't seen a doctor because he really doesn't seem to understand-due to exams etc. I really just wanted to concentrate on my health after they were over - I know that decision wasn't a wise one!) I missed so much of my sala'h ... I realized from your website that Qada is obligatory even in these circumstances (please verify this assumption) but someone told me that you can read your sala'h even if you are menstruating 7 days (my period lasts for 11 days at least). Is this correct? I just hope you can help me. Thank You Inayah United Kingdom Answer: As a principle, prayers that are missed due to menstruation are, in fact, not missed prayers. On the contrary, these are prayers which a woman is not to offer, as per the directives of the Shari`ah itself. Keeping the foregoing clarification in mind, your question, in fact, relates to the determination of whether or not a particular bleeding should be termed as menstruation or not. If it is considered menstruation, then the directives relating to menstruation shall apply to it. On the other hand, if a particular bleeding is not considered menstruation, then the directives relating to menstruation shall not apply to it. Some Muslim jurists of the past - on the basis of their observation and information - consider a particular number of days (say, ten days) to be the maximum number of days for menstruation. Thus, in their opinion, if bleeding continues for more than ten days, then after ten days, it would be presumed that the continuing blood flow is not normal menstruation, but should be considered as abnormal bleeding and, thus, the directives of the Shari`ah related to menstruation should no longer be observed after the expiry of these particular number of days. In my opinion, the determination of a woman's period of menstruation, is not a religious issue but is, in fact, one that is physiological in nature. Therefore, rather than drawing such broad generalizations, a woman with unduly longer periods of menstruation may consult a doctor and take professional advice and help in determining her period of menstruation and distinguishing her menstrual bleeding from any non-menstrual bleeding. Once such a distinction has been made, a woman should observe the directives of the Shari`ah relating to menstruation, during the time of her menstrual bleeding. Once the menstrual bleeding discontinues, a woman should clean herself and start living her normal routine, even if any non-menstrual bleeding continues during the whole month. I hope this helps. Regards, Moiz Amjad February 17, 2003