Chapter: The Explanation of the Periods of Purity/Cycles (al-Aqra')

It was said to Ahmad: Are the 'aqra' the periods of purity (at-tuhur) or the menstrual cycles (al-hayd)? He said: "I do not speak on this." It was said: Is the hadith of 'Umar and 'Abd Allah regarding this authentic? He said: "Yes."

And Ahmad was asked—another time—about the 'aqra', so he said: "I dislike saying anything about it. The people of Madinah say: They are the periods of purity; I used to say this, then I refrained from it due to the hadith of 'Umar and 'Abd Allah."

And I asked Ahmad—another time—and I said: A man divorces his wife, then he takes her back, and she has already entered into the third menstrual cycle? He said: "There is a difference of opinion regarding this," and he was silent. Then he said: "I might adopt the view of the people of Madinah, then I fear it due to the hadith of 'Umar and 'Abd Allah." He said: "And the people of Madinah say: If she sees a drop of blood from the third menstrual cycle, then she has become irrevocably divorced." He said: "And they say: This is more cautious."

And I asked Ishaq about the 'aqra'? He said: "The period of purity (tuhr) is that by which the waiting period terminates, and the menstruation is a quru' (period)."

719 - Sa'id ibn Mansur narrated to us, saying: Sufyan narrated to us, from al-Zuhri, from 'Urwah, from 'A'ishah, she said: "The 'aqra' are the periods of purity."

720 - Sa'id narrated to us, saying: 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn Muhammad narrated to us, from Thawr ibn Zayd, from 'Ikrimah, from Ibn 'Abbas, he said: "If she sees the blood of the third menstrual cycle, then he has become free of her, except that she may not marry until she becomes pure."