QUESTION:
What do the scholars of the Din and muftis of the Sacred Law state regarding the following issue: If the menses of a woman was to finish at Zuhr time during Ramadān, then does she need to keep the fast of that particular day?
Questioner: Sister from UK
ANSWER:
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب
Such a female cannot keep the fast of that day, because in order to keep the fast of that particular day, it is essential that some time remains that night after having done Ghusl before the start of Fajr (i.e. pre-dawn) – provided that her menstruation period finished in less than 10 days. However, if her menstrual cycle lasts for 10 complete days (i.e. including nights), and finishes before the start time of Fajr, then she is to fast – even if there was no time to do Ghusl.
Just as it is stated in Fatāwā Hindiyyah,
وَلَوْ طَهُرَتْ لَيْلًا صَامَتْ الْغَدَ إنْ كَانَتْ أَيَّامُ حَيْضِهَا عَشَرَةً، وَإِنْ كَانَتْ دُونَهَا فَإِنْ أَدْرَكَتْ مِنْ اللَّيْلِ مِقْدَارَ الْغُسْلِ وَزِيَادَةَ سَاعَةٍ لَطِيفَةٍ تَصُومُ وَإِنْ طَلَعَ الْفَجْرُ مَعَ فَرَاغِهَا مِنْ الْغُسْلِ لَا تَصُومُ
“If a female become pure (from menses) at night, then she will keep the fast of the following day, on the condition that her menstrual cycle lasted for 10 complete days. If it is less than this and she becomes pure, thereby if there is a moment of time remaining after she has done Ghusl before the break of dawn, then she is still to fast.”
[al-Fatāwā al-Hindiyyah, vol 1, pg 207]
Furthermore, it is stated in Bahār-e-Sharī’at that if a woman becomes pure from menses within the full ten days and nights, then in all such cases she will keep the fast of the next day. And if she became pure within fewer days, then if there is sufficient time until the start of dawn in which she can do Ghusl and after that only a limited amount of time will remain, then she too must keep the fast for that day. However, if the break of dawn appears after she completes her Ghusl, then there is no fast (upon her for that day).
[Bahār-e-Sharī’at, vol 1, part 5, pg 1004]
واللہ تعالی اعلم ورسولہ اعلم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم
کتبہ ابو الحسن محمد قاسم ضیاء قادری
Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qadiri
Translated by Haider Ali
Read the original Urdu answer here: [Q-ID0719] My menstrual cycle finished during the day in Ramadan, must I now Fast?
Also see:
[Q-ID0705] I have missed Fasts from last year due to Periods, do I make them up or pay fidyah?