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Irregual Cycle During Menopause

Q:

I follow the taqleed of Ayatullah Sistani.

I am going through menopause at the moment which has been confirmed by doctors. I am unsure how this effects my salah and fasting due to irregular bleeding. I started menopause in January 2015 and was bleeding consistently until April 2015. Then my menstrual cycle became regular until beginning of June. I started my menstrual cycle on 12th June and performed ghusal e haydth on 18th June. Yesterday (27th June) I started bleeding again.

I am aware that Ayatullah Sistani stated that if the next menstrual cycle comes within 10 days then it is considered haydth. As I am in menopause, should I consider this as haydth and not fast and pray? Or should I consider this as istehadha and continue to pray and fast until 12th July when my next menstrual cycle is due? I usually struggle to classify whether I am in haydth or istehadha as I am in menopause and my cycle irregular.

A:

Between the ages of 50 and 60 according to the Hijri calendar, a woman if
she experiences menopausal symptoms like the irregularity of menses, she
has to perform the do’s of a mustahadha and avoid the don’t’s of a haaidh.
So she continues to fast and pray even during bleeding but with ghusl of
istehadha (depending on the quantity of blood).

Once she crosses the age of 60 (acc to Hijri calendar) any bleeding she comes across should be
dealt with as istehadha.

To regard bleeding as haidh, a gap of 10 complete days (not even an hour lesser) between the previous bleeding and the current bleeding has to have occured.

Kanize Zainab