593 - Ishaq narrated to us, saying: Rawh ibn 'Ubadah informed us, saying: Malik ibn Anas narrated to us, from Nafi', from Sulayman ibn Yasar, from Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him), that a woman was suffering from hemorrhaging during the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), so Umm Salamah sought a legal ruling (fatwa) from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) for her. He said: "Let her look at the number of nights and days she used to menstruate each month before that which has befallen her afflicted her, then let her abandon prayer for that [amount of time] during the month. When that has passed, let her perform ghusl, then let her bind herself with a cloth, then pray."

Chapter: How much time is there between two menstrual periods?

• I asked Abu Abdillah Ahmad ibn Hanbal, I said: How much time is between two menstrual periods? He said: "There is no set time for it; it is whatever the woman knows [as] her habit."

• And I asked Ahmad – another time – I said: A woman who menstruates every twelve days? He said: "If that is her habit."

• And I heard Ishaq ibn Ibrahim – when asked: Can there be less than fifteen days between two menstrual periods? – He said: "Yes, two days."