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Fatwa CenterBroke her fast thinking she was menstruating
Question
About 30 minutes before the time of breaking the fast, I experienced blood discharge. I was certain that it was menstruation because of the color of the blood. Thus, I broke my fast. However, the next days I witnessed no blood discharge and this proved that the first discharge was not menstruation. Am I required to make up the fast for that day or am I excused, as mentioned in a relevant Hadeeth?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
Scholars provided different opinions regarding the minimum period of menstruation. According to the opinion of the Shaafi‘i school of Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) as well as the famous opinion of the Hanbali school of Fiqh, the minimum period of menstruation is a day and night. When the blood is discharged and then ceases for a lesser period, it is considered vaginal bleeding and a woman is required to observe prayer, fasting, and so on.
Consequently, the questioner should know that if she experienced blood discharge for a period less than a day and night and she broke her fast because of that, she is required to make up the missed fasting and prayer for that day. She is not guilty, as she did not deliberately break the fast. Nevertheless, making it up is obligatory. On the other hand, if the blood discharge lasted for a day and night after a complete period of ritual purity, which is 15 days, it is considered menstruation and she is required to abandon prayer, fasting, and so on, particularly when the color of the blood is like that of menstruation, and then make up the missed fasting days but not the prayers.
Allaah Knows best.
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