And if he were to say this regarding days other than the days of her periods, we would hope that it be the same. As for the days of the periods, it is a known occurrence in women for a woman to see blood and purity during her periods; such is her nature. If she sees blood for two or three days during her periods, then a day of purity, then menstruation, then purity, until her periods are complete and the blood ceases then, all of that is menstruation, provided it is something she recognizes and has experienced similarly at her times.
If she exercises caution (istazharat) in such a situation for a day or two—as has been reported from Ibn Abbas, al-Hasan, and 'Ata'—that is good and beautiful. Yet, to leave that and perform ghusl at the end of the prayer time is more beloved to me. If the blood returns to her after that until she completes her periods, she must make up the fast if she fasted during her state of purity. As for her exercising caution after completing her periods if the blood continues, we do not hold that view, because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "When the period of menstruation ends, then pray." Although some scholars have said: Whenever it exceeds her period days, she should perform ghusl and pray, unless she has seen such for months; in that case, she is a woman whose periods have increased beyond what they were previously. Then, she completes what she saw of blood up to the maximum duration a woman menstruates. For her to pray while she is in doubt is more beloved to me than for her to abandon prayer; and she has no right to abandon prayer except upon certainty of her menstruation."
