and pray Dhuhr and Asr together, then delay Maghrib and hasten Isha, then perform ghusl and combine the two prayers, and perform ghusl for Subh, then do so, and fast if you are able to do that." The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said (8): "And it is the more pleasing of the two matters to me." Reported by Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi (9), who said: This is a hasan sahih (good and authentic) hadith. He said: I asked Muhammad (10) about it, and he said: It is a hasan (good) hadith (11). And he narrated that from Ahmad as well. In its literal sense, it establishes the ruling for the woman who has forgotten; for the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) did not ask her to clarify whether she was a beginner (mubtada'ah) or someone who had forgotten. If the situation had differed, he would have requested clarification and asked. The likelihood that she is someone who has forgotten is greater, for Hamna was a mature woman, and thus said Ahmad. The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) did not ask her about her tamyiz (ability to distinguish blood types) because it had already transpired from her speech—regarding the abundance of the blood and its description—what rendered questioning about it unnecessary. He did not ask her whether she had a habit (ada) so that he might refer her back to it, for he was already aware of that, as it was well-known, and he had commanded her sister, Umm Habiba, with it. Thus, it only remains that she is one who has forgotten. Also, because (12) she has menstruation whose duration she does not know, so it is referred back to the general habits of women, just like the beginner, and because she has no habit and no tamyiz, she is analogous to the beginner. As for their statement: "She has known days." We say: The knowledge of them has ceased, so its presence is like its non-existence (13). As for his command (14) to Umm Habiba to perform ghusl for every prayer, it is only a recommendation (nadb), just like his command to Hamna in this report; for Umm Habiba had a habit and he referred her back to her habit, and she is the one for whom Umm Salama asked for a legal opinion. Moreover, the hadith of Umm Habiba is only reported via al-Zuhri, and al-Layth ibn Sa'd denied it, saying: Ibn Shihab did not mention that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) commanded Umm Habiba to perform ghusl for every prayer, but it is something she did herself.