the ruling for each of them. She cannot be in anything other than four states: one who has distinguishing characteristics (mumayyizah) and no established habit, one who has an established habit and no distinguishing characteristics, one who has both an established habit and distinguishing characteristics, and one who has neither an established habit nor distinguishing characteristics.

As for the one who has distinguishing characteristics: she is the one whom al-Khiraqi mentioned in this issue, and she is the one whose blood has an onset and an end; part of it is black, thick, and foul-smelling, and part of it is bright red, or yellow, or odorless. The black or thick blood does not exceed the maximum of menstruation, nor is it less than its minimum. The ruling for her is that her menstruation is the duration of the black, thick, or foul-smelling blood. When it ceases, she is in a state of irregular bleeding (mustahadah); she performs ghusl for the menstruation, performs wudu' after that for every prayer, and prays. Ahmad mentioned the mustahadah and said: "There are traditions (sunan) for her," and he mentioned the one with an established habit. Then he said: "And another tradition: if she comes and claims that she has irregular bleeding and does not become pure, it is said to her: 'You currently have no known days that you sit out; rather, look at the onset of the blood and its end. If the menstruation begins—and its onset is to see black blood that is recognized—and if her blood changes and becomes yellowish and thin, then that is the blood of irregular bleeding; so perform ghusl and pray.'" Malik and al-Shafi'i held this view. Abu Hanifah said: There is no consideration given to distinguishing characteristics; consideration is given only to the habit, because of what Umm Salamah reported, that a woman was bleeding during the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and he said: "Let her observe the number of days and nights that she used to menstruate before what has afflicted her afflicted her. Let her cease praying for that amount of the month. Then, when she has passed that, let her perform ghusl, then bind her private parts with a cloth, then pray." Reported by Abu Dawud, al-Nasa'i, and Ibn Majah (8). This is one of the three hadiths that Imam Ahmad said: