What is the ruling on fasting and praying during the five days preceding menstruation when a brownish discharge appears, in addition to the eight days following it when there is natural blood?

If the five days during which the brown discharge appears are separate from the blood, then you should fast and pray, as it is considered a brownish or yellowish discharge which does not prevent prayer or fasting. However, if this brown discharge is directly connected to the blood after the fifth day, or connected to menstruation (hayd) after it, then it is considered part of the menstruation. In this case, you should neither pray nor fast. If there is a clear separation between them, then you consider yourself pure, and you should pray and perform istinjā’ (cleaning of private parts) for each prayer. As for that which is connected before menstruation or immediately after it, it is counted as menstruation.