Whoever understands what we have described regarding these authentic principles from the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the manifestations of menstruation, will know the ruling for the blood that appears from women. We have already explained the Prophet’s ruling on the aspects we mentioned, and the blood never falls outside these meanings; for if it were to fall outside them, it would have been clarified to them.
These are issues with which these women were afflicted, so they asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and he ruled for them according to what we have described without [imposing] a specific time or number. If a time and number were permissible in this regard, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would have been the most entitled person to do so, because a time-bound number is easier for women than what he charged them with, such as the [observation of] incoming and outgoing flow and exercising discretion to distinguish menstrual blood from the blood of istihada; and the Prophet (peace be upon him) was sent as one who facilitates and clarifies.
As for what these people have said regarding menstruation and istihada, and their fixing of ten [days] for all women based on a single nature, it is contrary to the statement of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and contrary to the temperaments of women. This is because the variation in their temperaments is something recognized by them; women menstruate for five, six, seven, or eight [days] throughout all months, a moderate and regular menstruation. If they recognize the variation in their temperaments [for periods] less than ten, then how can they rule for all of them regarding [periods] exceeding ten with a single standard, without referring each one back to her own nature and constitution, even though the variation in women's menstruation is established according to them? Indeed, the reliable scholars among the Tabi'un and those after them preceded them in [recognizing] that their constitution differs beyond ten just as it differs in this [regard].
فمَن تَفَهَّم ما وَصَفنا من هذه الأُصول الصَّحيحَة عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ومَنازِل الحَيض؛ عَرَفَ حُكمَ ما يَظهَر من النِّساء من الدِّماء، وقد بَيَّنَّا حُكمَ النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم على الوُجوه التي ذَكَرنا، ولا يَخرج الدم من هذه المعاني أَبدًا؛ لأنه لو كان خارِجًا من ذلك؛ لَبُيِّن لَهنّ.
وهي مَسائلُ قد ابتُلي بها هؤلاء النِّسوَة، فسَأَلنَ رسولَ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فحَكَمَ لَهنَّ بما وَصَفنا مِن غَير وَقتٍ ولا عَدَد، ولو كان يَجوز فيه الوَقتُ والعَدَد؛ لكان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أَولَى البَشَر بِذلك؛ لأن وَقتَ العَدَد على النِّساء أَخَفُّ مما كَلَّفَهنَّ من الإقبال والإدبار وتَحَرِّي دم الحَيض من دَم الاستِحاضَة، وبُعِثَ النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم مُيَسِّرًا ومُبَيِّنًا.
فأما ما قال هؤلاء في الحَيض والاستِحاضَة، وتَوقيتُهم العَشرَ للنِّساء كُلِّهنَّ على طَبيعَةٍ واحِدَة؛ فهو خِلافُ قَول رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، وخِلافُ طَبائع النِّساء؛ وذلك أنه مَوجودٌ عندهم الاختِلاف في طَبائعِهنّ؛ تَحيض النِّساء خَمسًا أو سِتًّا أو سَبعًا أو ثَمانيًا؛ في الشُّهور كُلِّها؛ حَيضًا مُعتَدِلًا مُستَقيمًا، فإذا عَرَفوا اختِلاف طَبائعِهنَّ فيما دون العَشر، فكَيف حَكَموا لِجَميعِهنَّ فَوقَ العَشر بأمرٍ واحِد، ولم يَرُدُّوا ⦗٢٩٧⦘ على واحِد إلى خِلقَتِها وطَبيعَتِها إذا كان مَوجودًا عندهم اختِلاف حَيض النِّساء، وقد تَقَدَّمَهم الثِّقاتُ من أهل العِلم مِن التابِعين ومَن بَعدَهم أن خِلقَتهنَّ تَختَلِف فَوق العشر كما يَختلف هذا».
