What is the ruling on intercourse with a woman experiencing irregular bleeding (istihadah)?

Scholars differed on the ruling concerning intercourse with a woman experiencing istiḥāḍah (prolonged non-menstrual bleeding) into two schools of thought:

The first school (prohibition): They argued that the blood of istiḥāḍah is a harmful impurity, similar to menstrual blood, and Allah has forbidden intercourse with a menstruating woman.

The second school (permissibility): This is the view of the majority of scholars. They argued that the blood of istiḥāḍah is not menstruation, and the harm that afflicts one who has intercourse with a menstruating woman does not afflict one who has intercourse with a woman experiencing istiḥāḍah. Furthermore, a woman experiencing istiḥāḍah performs acts of worship like a ritually pure woman, and similarly, intercourse with her is permissible. There is no reported prohibition from the female companions who experienced istiḥāḍah, such as Umm Ḥabībah and Ḥamnah. This school of thought is the most authoritative due to the strength of its evidence.