When should a woman stop praying due to menstruation? Is it upon seeing the first drop of blood or a certain amount? Does she stop upon seeing the brown discharge that precedes blood, or only upon seeing blood? And when should she perform ghusl after menstruation? Is it upon seeing the yellowish or whitish discharge, and what is the difference between them, and what should she do if she cannot distinguish between them?

A woman is obligated to stop fasting and praying as soon as she sees the first drop of menstrual blood. If she sees purity, indicated by one of its two signs, she should perform ghusl (definition) (ritual bath) and pray. If the blood returns, she is considered to be menstruating again, provided that the total duration of the blood and the interspersed purity does not exceed 15 days. Yellowish discharge (ṣufra) and brownish discharge (kudra) during the time of menstruation are considered menstruation. However, yellowish or brownish discharge that precedes blood is not menstruation; rather, it is irregular bleeding (istiḥāḍa). If a woman sees yellowish or brownish discharge before blood, she should not stop praying. If she sees blood, she should stop praying. If yellowish or brownish discharge follows the blood, she continues to be in a state of menstruation until she sees purity, indicated by one of its two signs: dryness (a clean cotton swab) or the white discharge (a thin, white fluid that appears after menstruation).